Darlington manager David Hodgson has a selection dilemma ahead of Saturday's trip to Mansfield, with Shelton Martis admitting he would prefer to stay in central defence.

After starting the season at right-back, the Dutchman's solid display in the centre during last Friday's draw with Notts County has given Hodgson a tough choice to make with Matt Clarke available again after suspension.

Having played in central defence all his career, Martis was fielded as an unorthodox right-back during his first six games but he never really looked comfortable, conceding a match-winning penalty against Leyton Orient, while David Duke appeared more naturally suited to that role against Notts County.

Alongside the classy Joey Hutchinson, 22-year-old Martis remained dominant all evening, leaving Hodgson with a selection headache.

"I do like the centre more. I think it is better for me because I think I play better there," said Martis who, although vying for central defence, was originally a striker while in the youth ranks at Feyenoord.

"I prefer playing in the centre but it does not matter too much to me whether I play on the right or centre because I just want to play.

"I started as a striker but when I was 16 the Feyenoord coaches made me a centre-back and then I was put at right-back because I was quite quick and I had a pretty good cross. All the time they would tell me to put the ball into the box.

"But I prefer the centre because you can see everything from there."

With Hutchinson an almost guaranteed starter at Mansfield, and having handed the captain's armband to Clarke at the start of the season, Hodgson is more likely to replace Duke with Martis.

Martis has missed only one game so far - Rochdale at home with a back injury - and he said: "When I first came here I was not fit enough but it has improved.

"There is competition to play so all I can do is train hard and then everything will fall into place. I can develop myself to become a better player here."

l Darlington Reserves beat their Hartlepool United counterparts 2-1 at Bedford Terrace last night.

Nathan Jameson grabbed the winner for Neil Maddison's side in a hotly contested encounter.

Adrian Webster had given Quakers a sixth minute lead, before Stephen Turnbull levelled before half-time. And, with full time approaching, Jameson showed a cool head to lift the ball over James Winter.

Hartlepool: Winter, Craddock, Brackstone, Philip Turnbull, Neil Wilkinson, Jones, Clarke, Stephen Turnbull, Jack Wilkinson, Appleby, Maidens. Subs: Davison, Manson, Robinson, Mullen, White. Darlington: Norton, Pattinson, Kendrick, Dawson, McLeod, Appleby, Webster, Thomas, Wijnhard, Nudumbu-Nsumgu, Jameson. Subs: Ikangu, Parkin, Logan, Harrison, Hughes.

l Hartlepool United will today discover the extent of Adam Boyd's knee injury, which will rule the striker out for at least six weeks.