NEW Darlington striker Danny Carlton is determined to prove he can score the goals to boost Quakers’ promotion push.

If Liam Hatch fails to recover from a hamstring strain Carlton will deputise this evening against Rotherham United as Darlington aim for a swift return to the top three.

They are only two points off second spot, but sank five places to eighth following Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Shrewsbury Town – their first reverse in six league games.

Carlton made his Darlington debut at Gay Meadow, linking well with Pawel Abbott in a game which Quakers were unlucky to lose.

Having recently spent two months with Morecambe, where Carlton also started his career, the 25-year-old has joined Quakers on loan from Carlisle United.

Carlton hopes to establish himself in the Football League with Darlington having failed to find the net in 37 games at Carlisle last season.

That was his first campaign in the Football League having spent the previous five years at Morecambe.

He marked his last game for the Shrimps by scoring the winner at Wembley in a Blue Square Premier play-off final in May 2007.

The Leeds-born forward also netted twice on the opening day of the current campaign for Carlisle.

However, in total he has only five goals in his last 61 appearances, although a large proportion have been as a substitute “I did really well in the Conference but had thought I could have reached the league a little earlier,” said Carlton, who was a regular scorer in the Blue Square Premier.

“But it took me five years before I got into the league with Carlisle. It might have been a step too far but you have to take these chances otherwise you’ll never find out how far you can go.

“I started this season well, but things haven’t gone to plan and now I’m hoping to score a few goals to help Darlington climb the league.

“I know I can score at this level. I scored two at the beginning of this season in League One so I know I can do it in that division.

“I’m looking forward to playing more games for Darlington and scoring goals.’’ Shrimps manager Sammy McIlroy was unable to extend Carlton’s loan, so now the striker is setting his sights on the top of the table.

He said: “I spoke to Sammy and he wanted to keep me but with the transfer embargo it wasn’t possible.

“Dave Penney said he wanted me to come here until the end of the season. Greg Abbott (Carlisle manager) has been very good with me. He let me go to Morecambe for two months and when that was over he let come to Darlington and it’s nice to be in a team that is near the top.”

If Carlton starts this evening there will be only one change with the suspended Ricky Ravenhill being replaced by Robin Hulbert.

Darlington (probable): Gerken; Austin, White, Foster, Ryan; Purdie, Hulbert, Kennedy, Burgmeier; Carlton, Abbott.

Subs (from): Kazimierczak, Valentine, Miller, Griffin, Blundell, Main