DAVID HODGSON has promised to waste no time in wielding the axe with Third Division safety not yet assured.

Quakers travel to Third Division table-toppers Doncaster this afternoon lying just six points clear of the relegation zone.

Renowned for his fair approach to man-management, Hodgson has always shown a generous willingness to hand every player a second chance to stake their claim in the side.

But with nine games to go, Hodgson admits there is little time for forgiveness in the wake of last week's disappointing defeat at home to fellow strugglers Cambridge.

Fringe players like David McGurk and Craig Russell have been grateful benefactors of Hodgson's policy to stick with a winning team.

While the pair have performed well enough to keep their places, first-team regulars Joey Hutchinson and Neil Teggart are in strong contention to regain their places this afternoon.

"There will be changes at Doncaster," vowed Hodgson. "As soon as the Cambridge game finished I made the decision to change the team.

"I set a precedent with the players by sticking with a winning team and not putting players back in, and I think it worked because we put a good run together and it lifted spirits in and around the club.

"David McGurk and other players were in the side because they deserved to be but Saturday is a different game against a very good side.

"Now we're in the final straight of the season it's my prerogative to win games, so there may be times when I have to change the side for a particular game.

"People will be dropped if they play below standard. I won't wait three or four games, I will do it immediately.

"After the Cambridge game I wrote on the board one word: 'shambles'. But straightaway I made sure I mentioned the fact that in previous weeks they've been magnificent in both matches and in training."

A run of six wins from nine is proof that Hodgson's men are heading in the right direction, despite last weekend's setback.

And the Quakers boss has every confidence in his side emulating that kind of form on their run-in with nine games to go.

"To prevent us being relegated we now need two wins and a couple of draws and the players in this club are well capable of doing that," said Hodgson.

"With Doncaster in form and us in form it should make it a very interesting game."

Middlesbrough striker Danny Graham will start on the bench after signing on loan until the end of the season.

The 18-year-old recently signed professional forms with the Teessiders, who are keen to assess how Graham adapts to League football after scoring 21 goals for the Academy side this season.

A Football League ruling - which prevents Academy players from moving to other clubs on loan - blocked Hodgson's move for Graham in November.

Boro boss Steve McClaren hopes Graham's temporary switch to the Reynolds Arena will provide an ideal stepping stone in the youngster's career.

"We're looking for Danny to develop. Signing a contract enables League clubs to take him on loan, which wasn't a possibility before," said McClaren.

"Clubs can't take Academy players on loan and there's been a bit of interest in Danny, from Darlington especially.

"That's why we signed him on as a pro. We feel he can play League football at the present moment.

"He's scored a lot of goals but, at this stage, he's still got a long way to go. He needs experience. He plays in the reserves now and again, but there's been interest from League clubs to take him so we need to look at that."

Rovers, promoted from the Conference last season, are four points clear at the top of Division Three after Tuesday night's 1-0 win at Yeovil and are likely to remain unchanged.

On-loan Sunderland striker Chris Brown will be partnered in attack by Leo Fortune-West, with 16-goal top scorer Gregg Blundell remaining on the bench.

Francis Tierney is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury, while Simon Marple is still recovering from a hernia