Darlington striker Ton Kaak has returned to Holland, writes RAY SIMPSON.

The 22-year-old joined Quakers during the summer from Dutch club Heracles on a one-year contract, but has failed to make an impact in the Third Division.

He figured in ten games for Quakers, scoring in successive games against Plymouth and York, but lost his place because of an injury he picked up in the Worthington Cup defeat by Bradford City.

Darlington manager Gary Bennett said; "Ton has had a few injuries, and he decided that he wanted to return home."

Bennett begins his weekly search for a striker again today, and going by his previous interest in Crystal Palace striker Leon MacKenzie, he's not going to restrict his movements to the North.

Bennett has several possibilities to look at, and with Quakers not involved in a midweek game until December, he has a good opportunity to run the rule over them.

Bennett, meanwhile, defended striker Lee Nogan after Saturday's performance.

Nogan was substituted early in the second half by Jesper Hjorth and Bennett said: "I felt sorry for Lee on Saturday, because nothing went right for him. Everything he tried didn't come off. It was one of those days when nothing was sticking for him."

l DARLINGTON'S youth team are at home to York City in the FA Youth Cup on Wednesday.

l DARLINGTON defender Neil Aspin played the game with eight stitches in the head wound he sustained at Cardiff on Tuesday night. "I had to be careful how I headed the ball, otherwise the wound could have opened up again," he said.

l DARLINGTON midfielder Paul Campbell admitted that he was amazed when he learned he will be out of action with a groin injury until February. "I thought he was going to say seven to ten days."