With the start of the season just four days away, Darlington manager Mick Tait will this week step up his efforts to bring in more new faces in time for his Division Three curtain-raiser at Hull City.

Tait has so far endured a frustrating summer in the transfer market, but made some progress last week with the double-signing of Michael Price and Glen Robson after successful trial spells.

As well as running the rule over trialists Erdem Artun and Fabian Bossy in tonight's practice match at Whitby Town, Tait will this week hold further talks with other transfer targets.

"I'm as close with one or two as I have been with others I have lost out on, so it's not done until it's done," said Tait. He also recognises that with such a small squad he will no doubt encounter problems during the course of the season with injuries and suspensions.

Tait was able to take a squad of only 14 to Barrow at the weekend, which included the injured Ian Clark, who was an unused substitute.

"Unless we sign a couple of players this week then we are a bit thin on the ground," admitted Tait.

Recent recruit Robson is still struggling with a neck injury but should be fit in time for Saturday's trip to the KC Stadium, along with goalkeeper Andy Collett, who came through training without any problems yesterday.

The former Middlesbrough stopper has not figured in any of Quakers' pre-season games with a shoulder injury and Tait has revealed the 29-year-old is ready to play through the pain barrier at the weekend.

"He's still got a bit of pain in his shoulder but he thinks he can play through it all right," said Tait

"I was hoping to give him a half at Whitby but he doesn't want to risk it.

"He will train for the rest of the week to build up his fitness for the Hull game."

Gary Pearson and Neil Wainwright both returned to training yesterday and they should be fit to travel with the rest of the squad at the weekend.

Read more about the Quakers here.