Darlington striker Mark Sheeran gave his chances of earning a recall to the team a massive boost when he notched twice for the reserves this week - and Tommy Taylor insists the young striker has not been forgotten.

The striker, who will be 20 on Monday, made a sensational start to his career, scoring winning goals in his first two Feethams matches last January before going on to make a total of 22 substitute appearances and one start.

But the six games so far this season have seen Sheeran appear just once on the teamsheet, and that was as an unused substitute in the draw at Rochdale. For last Saturday's fixture at Kidderminster, Danny Mellanby was injured while Glenn Naylor, Barry Conlon and Ian Clark were already in the first XI, leaving Taylor with little cover in the forward department, but he again overlooked Sheeran.

Instead, he preferred John Alexander for a spot of bench duty and 16-year-old made his debut as a substitute. Ironically, Sheeran, when making his League bow last season, was also introduced to Division Three with a second half sub appearance at Aggborough.

But Taylor says Sheeran still has a role to play at the club, and the two goals against Hartlepool's second string on Wednesday certainly did no harm.

"He's been out of the team because he's not done anything to get back in there," said Taylor.

"He wasn't doing anything right in training or in the games. It's down to him if he doesn't learn from his time out of the team. He's the only one who is going to lose out if he doesn't learn."

Meanwhile, as this weekend's game against Wrexham was postponed, Darlington play a behind-closed-doors friendly against an unnamed First Division side this afternoon.

* Hartlepool winger Paul Smith misses tomorrow's game at Swansea after undergoing keyhole surgery to repair damage to his knee which could keep him out for three weeks.

Disappointed Pool boss, Chris Turner, said: "Paul said that he wasn't 100 per cent happy with the way he was feeling so I said that we might as well get it sorted out now."

Read more about the Quakers here.