DARLINGTON have signed experienced goalkeeper Liam Connell and he goes straight into the squad for tomorrow’s FA Cup tie at Leamington.

He has joined on loan for a month from South Shields and with Chris Elliott carrying an injury could start the third qualifying round tie if it is deemed Quakers’ usual No. 1 needs a rest.

“He’s got an infection in his leg and it’s been such a strange one,” said manager Alun Armstrong. “His foot’s been swelling up and he’s been on antibiotics and playing through it for us.

“Sometimes you’ve just got to rest it and see what happens, but he doesn’t want to rest, he still wants to play which is what you want to hear.”

Connell has not played for South Shields this season but has recently been on loan at Whickham in the Northern League.

He has made 140 appearances since joining South Shields in 2016 from Dunston, where he played for seven years and at one time among his team-mates was Quakers captain Terry Galbraith.

They were in the team that beat West Auckland in the FA Vase final at Wembley in 2012, while Connell also won the Vase with Shields.

Armstrong said: “Chris has been struggling with his leg, so I’ve had to make a move.

“Liam’s on loan for a month to start off so that we can have a look at each other, and then we’ll see where we go after that, but someone of his experience doesn’t come along too often.

“He’s been playing at Whickham, but I knew his loan was coming to an end and I kept an eye on it. It’s not often a player of his experience becomes available.

“He hadn’t been playing at South Shields, but he’s someone I thought about in the summer, but he signed a new deal at his club.”

Darlington have not named a goalkeeper among their substitutes recently, with youngster Cameron Hall having been sidelined with a toe problem and since recovering has been playing for Darlington Town in the Wearside League on a dual-registration basis.

As well as Elliott carrying a knock, Stephen Thompson is doubtful after sustaining a groin injury in last weekend’s win at Alfreton.

“We’ll have to asses Thommo,” said Armstrong. “He came off at Alfreton with his groin so he is struggling a bit and we will probably test him on Saturday. We’ll wait and see, but he is 50/50 at the minute.

“Jordan Watson is back and probably Louis Laing as well, so it might be a case of two in and one out.

“Laingy did a lot of work on Tuesday, so hopefully we can get him back in the squad, that would be a big boost having someone like him back.”