DAVE Penney was disappointed with the departure of Joe Colbeck to Bradford City, and admits he had hoped to keep the winger over the Christmas period.

Colbeck had made a favourable impression while on loan with Quakers, playing six games and scoring twice.

His last action for the club was to supply a pin-point cross for Micky Cummins' goal at Grimsby Town last week, but Bradford recalled him before Quakers travelled to Morecambe at the weekend.

With Richie Foran and Julian Joachim ahead of him in the pecking order, Colbeck would have been on the bench on Saturday but Penney was hoping to keep him at the club.

Penney said: "Bradford had some injuries in their midweek match so they recalled Joe which is a disappointment. But it did not disrupt our plans too much because he was only going to be on the bench.

"We would like to have had him with us until January, but they need him back and we always knew that, with a 24-hour recall, that was always a possibility.

"He was fantastic for us. He scored a couple of goals and had a real effect on us so we're sorry to see him go."

With Martin Smith still lacking fitness and Neil Wainwright suffering with a stomach strain, Penney is now a little short on players to play in the two wide midfield positions, though he does have the currently out-offavour Xavier Barrau and Kevin McBride available.

Wainwright played on loan for Shrewsbury last month and Penney added: "The plan was for Neil to come back match fit. He would have been on a 24 hour recall so if Joe got recalled we could have brought Neil back match fit.

"But he isn't fit at the moment and we need him to give us more options over Christmas."

Smith was due to continue his return from knee surgery by playing for Quakers' reserve at Rotherham United yesterday but the game was postponed due to a frozen pitch.

Meanwhile, Darlington's game at Morecambe has been rearranged for Tuesday, January 15 (kick off 7.45pm). Saturday's game at Christie Park was abandoned after only 22 minutes due to a waterlogged pitch, but no announcement has yet been made regarding ticket arrangements.

However, Darlington will not have a game on the first Saturday of 2008 as opponents Barnet will instead be playing in the third round of the FA Cup.

Quakers were meant to travel to the Bees, but Barnet last night won their second round Cup replay at home to Burton Albion, leaving Darlington without a game on January 5.

Dave Penney's side could not have arranged to play their game at Morecambe on January 5 as The Shrimps have a League Two game with Macclesfield Town, both sides having already been knocked out of the FA Cup.