David Hodgson has backed striker Clyde Wijnhard to get back among the goals.

The Dutchman extended his Darlington goal drought to five games after Tuesday night's FA Cup first-round defeat at Yeovil Town.

However, Hodgson is confident the 30-year-old will re-discover the form which earned him a two-year contract with the club this month.

Wijnhard has not scored since netting the winner against Wycombe last month and Hodgson admitted: "Clyde is just not firing at this present time.

"Regardless of what people might think, he's signed a two-year contract and he's stopped playing since, but before the Yeovil game on Tuesday our team as a whole had not been performing in the previous three games.

"Once he gets his chin up, I'm sure we will see the Clyde of old. I'm a little bit surprised that he has been short of belief because he's such a confident person.

"When that confidence and ability comes back we might start creating that little bit more on the front-line.

"I'm not going to take this kid out of it because he's done very well for this club, got us goals and he's going to stick at it."

Quakers beat off competition from Bradford City and Rotherham United this month when Wijnhard signed a two-year deal at the Williamson Motors Stadium.

The former Ajax and Leeds forward made an instant impact when he joined Quakers on a pay-as-you-play basis in October, scoring four goals in his first five appearances.

And having compared Wijnhard to former Quakers favourite Marco Gabbiadini, Hodgson said: "I think he's the type of player that when a chance comes he will tuck it away.

"I remember when Gabbiadini went ten games without a goal and this might be Clyde's little spell.

"When we start functioning again as a team again I'm sure we'll see the best of Clyde again."

Matt Clarke will be suspended for tomorrow night's League Two trip to Cheltenham Town. The defender received his fifth booking of the season at Swansea City eight days ago.

Curtis Fleming and Adolfo Gregorio resumed training this week but are unlikely to figure at Whaddon Road.

Former Middlesbrough man Craig Hignett is expected to return in a fortnight's time.

Hignett has not played since suffering a hamstring injury in the 2-1 win at Rushden this month.

* Darlington's match at Boston will be played as scheduled on Saturday, December 18 (3pm). Reports that the match had been brought forward to Friday 17 are incorrect.

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