Penney happy with new-look Quakers squad

8:49am Saturday 30th August 2008

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DARLINGTON have yet to win a league game – or even score from open play – but Dave Penney believes his squad could actually be better than the one he assembled last season.

With Liam Hatch becoming his latest signing, Quakers’ manager has at his disposal a pool of players much changed from that which finished the 2007/08 season in sixth place.

By this stage last season Darlington had seven points, just as many goals and only one had been a penalty.

This time around, despite some patches of pretty football, Quakers have only two draws to their name and two goals, both by Rob Purdie from the penalty spot.

But Penney hopes Hatch and his new team-mates will spark their season into life today when Darlington head to Macclesfield Town.

With Pawel Abbott and Clayton Fortune returning to training this week, and Ryan Valentine having made his first appearance at Watford on Tuesday, the signs are that Darlington are beginning to shake off their perennial injury concerns.

That was an issue which blighted last season’s promotion efforts, but, if they stay fit, Penney says his current crop of talent could eclipse what Joachim, Cummins, Wright et al managed.

“I’m delighted with the players we’ve got at the club,”

said Penney after Hatch became the club’s 11th signing this summer.

“We have been waiting for a few to come back from injury and hopefully they are all there or thereabouts now.

“If we can keep the squad fit it is a better squad than last year. And if we do not get as many injuries we should do as well as last year.

“The players we had lined up to join were good players, so we’ve had to compromise.

We could have got better players if we had had the same kind of budget as last year.

“But we’ve had to wait for the likes of Billy Clarke and Liam. You have to keep your finger on the pulse with what’s happening at all these clubs and when these players become available you have to try to get them.”

Abbott is not ready to play yet, but Tuesday’s display in the League Cup at Watford has given Penney some selection issues.

Until Tuesday, his midfield and forwards had remained unchanged, but Franz Burgmeier and Robin Hulbert, as well as Hatch, are pushing for starts today, while Gregg Blundell scored an impressive goal at Vicarage Road.

“Your best XI changes all the time,” admitted Penney.

“We’ve brought Franz in and that has given us an option on the left, we’ve brought Liam in up front and Robin is an option in midfield. There are other options too.

“What you think your best XI for one game is not always going to be the same after a performance.

“We played a different shape on Tuesday, three in midfield, two wide men and one up front, and it worked ever so well.

“I was disappointed to lose on Tuesday because I thought we had better scoring chances. It is a little boost to play like we did, but winning games gives you a bigger boost and I’m sick of saying we’ve played well but still haven’t won.

“Apart from the second half in the first game of the season, all the performances have been encouraging and we should have a lot more points by now than we have.

“It’s pleasing that we’re playing a lot better football than we were at this stage last season, but we haven’t got as many points.

“It’s time to turn these good performances into winning performances.”

Tuesday’s equaliser was Blundell’s first goal since January and his first 90-minute run-out since February.

He had an ankle operation before the end of last season and Penney said: “It was an excellent goal. It had been a long time since Gregg had 90 minutes under his belt, and he ended up getting 120 minutes, which just shows you how fit he is.

“With us having no reserve team now we had talked about him going out on loan to get some games.

“But that changes now because he’s had 120 minutes, so he’s fit and ready to go.”

Like Darlington, Macclesfield are also yet to win and if Penney’s side are unable to pick up three points it will be the first time Quakers have failed to win any of the first four league games since 1997/98.