More worries for boss Liddle

The left-back suffered an injury in Saturday's game with Fleetwood Town that will keep him on the sidelines this evening and also makes him a doubt for this weekend's match at home to York City.

He only played against Fleetwood after turning down a contract at another Conference club and changing his mind about leaving The Northern Echo Arena.

But a first half collision with a team-mate, goalkeeper Jordan Pickford, means Brown is unavailable for the game against the division's second-bottom team, which is being played at Woking.

Liddle said last night: "He tried to train this morning, but he couldn't breath. He's damaged the muscles between his ribs, so he's definitely out for tomorrow and doubtful for Saturday.

"There's no ribs broken, the muscles are badly bruised.

"He played really well on Saturday so to lose him is a massive blow, but we're getting used to these setbacks. We'll get on with it and see how we get on.

"I don't know if he'll travel because he was in a lot of discomfort this morning. If he's feeling up to it he will travel, if not he will rest at home and hopefully be fit for Saturday."

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Replacing Brown will either be Phil Gray or youth team left-back David Ferguson.

Gray has regularly been on the bench this season having made a first-team breakthrough at the end of last season.

"The circumstances are not ideal for young kids to go in, but more than likely one of them will step in," said Liddle.

"They're both very pacey and aggressive players and have a future in the game if they develop in the right way. I'm sure, if they play, they will not let anyone down.

"Phil's been a little bit unfortunate because he's had Aaron in front of him and Kris Taylor. Left-back has probably been the most covered position in the squad.

"When he played at the end of last season he did well. So we'd have no worries about him, he's just got to go out and play his normal game."

With Taylor and Graeme Lee forming a sound central defensive partnership, Liddle is reluctant to move the former to left-back where he has played this season.

Doing that would have created a vacancy alongside Lee that Scott Harrison could have filled, but Liddle is likely to use the youngster up front tonight.

The Teessider made a swift impression when he came off the bench on Saturday to play in a two-man attack alongside Ryan Bowman.

Quakers have been starting in a 4-4-1-1 line-up, but they have not scored in any of their last three games and were lacking in the final third against Fleetwood so the interim manager is considering changing to 4-4-2.

He said: "Scott did well and changed the game a little bit. I am trying to mould him into a centre-half and I think that's where he'll end up, because he's still capable of playing up front and doing a good job for us.

"Fleetwood had Brodie up front and he's a handful and their two wide lads are decent so they had a lot more threat than us.

"But I thought they struggled to break us down at times. If they hadn't have scored before half-time we might have got a result because I felt they were running out of ideas and were fortunate to score when they did."

Unlike Fleetwood ahead of their trip to the North-East at the weekend, Darlington did not have the benefit of an overnight stay last night and will set off for the Kingfield Stadium at noon.

And thanks to his continuing dual role, the midweek match means another demanding week for Liddle.

He said: "It's going to be a quarter to nine start with the youth team and I'll not get home until about 4am, so it's going to be a day and a half!

"I'm off on Wednesday morning and then back in on the afternoon because the centre of excellence starts again on the night.

"I'm getting used to it now, but it's not a workload you would wish on anybody. It's not ideal to work that many hours.

"If I look back to this time last season there were five or six full-time members of staff.''

Liddle will not be accompanied in the dug-out tonight by Ali Logan, who has left his position as a sports therapist for a job at St Aiden's Academy, Darlington.

He departed some weeks ago, though has been helping out on match days when possible.

Liddle still expects to have the services of a physio this evening at the Kingfield Stadium.

The ground is home to Woking, but Hayes & Yeading are playing games there until their new stadium is built.