Confident David Hodgson won't be bringing in any defensive cover despite being without three of his squad's back-line for the foreseeable future.

Both Joey Hutchinson and Curtis Fleming are in the Darlington manager's usual first-choice XI but the pair are injured, while David McGurk is on loan at York City, leaving Quakers short of defenders.

After sustaining knee ligament damage Hutchinson had an operation on Monday but has been ruled out for the season, while Fleming is unavailable, also with a knee injury, for at least a month.

But Hodgson feels the squad is strong and flexible enough to cope with the losses.

York have kept two clean sheets in McGurk's four appearances but he cannot be recalled until his month at Bootham Crescent expires, and Hodgson said: "Unless a players picks up an injury before Saturday we'll stick with what we've got.

"We've got David back in a fortnight so I think we'll be OK with what we have at the club until then."

York manager Chris Brass has said he wants to keep the Middlesbrough-born defender, who is 22 today, for another month but Hodgson said: "Looking at the squad now he's got no chance.

"If we had everybody fit and well then we'd have a think about it for David's sake. But not at the moment."

After picking up knocks, defenders Craig Liddle, Joe Kendrick and Brian Close - Darlington's best player in the LDV Vans Trophy defeat at Mansfield on Tuesday - will all be fit for Saturday's visit of Southend United.

Meanwhile, Darlington's pursuit of Clyde Wijnard will reach an outcome by the end of the week. The Dutch striker wants to sign but the two parties have not been able to arrange a financial agreement.

* Darlington's reserves won 3-1 against South Shields in the Durham Challenge Cup with new signing Jason St Juste scoring in the 75th minute

Other Darlington scorers were Andrew Bulford (46) and Gavin Parkin (69), while David Graham scored a late consolation (82).

Darlington: Price, Janes (Pattinson 50), Gibson, Mason, Addison, McCloud, Mendum, Coghlan, Bulford (Logan), Parkin, St Juste. Subs (not used): Armstrong, Craig Hughes,Matthewson.

South Shields: Spratt, Makel (Fitzpatrick 65), Ferguson, Banks, Liddle, Harrison (Knowlson 72), Brabbs, Lumson, Lines, O'Donovan, Graham. Subs (not used): Crosby, Gooden, Wolfe.

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