Quakers target Hatch
8:55am Thursday 28th August 2008
DARLINGTON were last night reported to be keen on signing a striker in time to play on Saturday at Macclesfield Town.
Manager Dave Penney is said to tracking Peterborough United’s Liam Hatch, who he watched score for Posh’s reserves on Tuesday afternoon.
The ex-Barnet forward joined Peterborough for £150,000 in January but the London Road club are keen on letting Hatch leave on loan.
Posh director of football Barry Fry said: “We have had seven or eight clubs approach us about either buying or loaning Liam.
“The gaffer does not want to sell him but wants him playing, hence the need to go to a club where it is going to happen.
“Darlington are the only club he has spoken to and if he agrees to go there it should all be done and dusted in time for him to play for them on Saturday.”
Hours after watching Hatch on Tuesday, Penney took charge of Quakers’ League Cup defeat at Watford which, says the manager, has given him “food for thought”.
With the Hornets encounter the first of three games away from the Darlington Arena, Penney made four changes to the side which started last Saturday’s home defeat by Gillingham as he sought to make full use of his squad.
Ryan Valentine, Robin Hulbert, Franz Burgmeier and Gregg Blundell were all given their first starts of the season in place of Rob Purdie, Adam Griffin, David Poole and Adam Proudlock.
Burgmeier was lively on the left, while Blundell took his chance to shine by scoring his first goal since January’s 3-0 win at Morecambe to force extra time.
The former Stockport wing pairing of Griffin and Poole were introduced with 19 minutes remaining at Vicarage Road and also caused the Watford defence concern, with Griffin delivering the pass that set Blundell clear for his leveller.
Penney said: “Everybody was excellent. You can’t go to a place like Watford and have people off their game, most have to be on their game to get a result against a Championship club so we’re pleased with the performance.
“It gives us a lot of food for thought with the players we left out and the fresh ones we brought in.”
Quakers fashioned the better chances and could have won the game immediately after Blundell struck, as Billy Clarke missed from closerange before the on-loan Ipswich striker was off target again in extra time after outwitting centre-back Leigh Bromby.
However, Watford won through to round three with their only serious effort on goal in the additional 30 minutes and Penney feels this is an experience his squad must learn from.
“That’s the difference at this level, the higher you go up chances like that get taken,” he added.
“I think they had one chance in the last hour and they took it – we had numerous chances and didn’t take them.
“That’s why some of our players are playing at this level and some of theirs are playing at a higher level, simple as that.”