DARLINGTON hope Gary Smith will return to the squad for tomorrow’s FA Cup game at Barnet, but Ian Miller remains sidelined with the after effects of concussion.

Miller suffered a blow to the head during a clash with Barnet striker Paul Furlong when the teams met in the league at Underhill a fortnight ago.

He stooped to head the ball but collided with Furlong’s knee, and almost two weeks later medical advice is to sit out tomorrow’s Cup clash.

“Ian was concussed and the doctor had a look at him on Wednesday,” said manager Steve Staunton. “He is still not right so we’re hoping he will be okay for when we play Burton next week.”

The Burton game will be Quakers’ first on home soil for a month with tomorrow’s match representing Darlington’s third consecutive away match.

Midfielder Smith has missed the last two games with a knee injury but Staunton hopes he will come through training today.

Striker Lee Thorpe is recovering from last month’s hernia operation, although he is now suffering from flu, and Staunton reports all his injured players are gradually recovering.

He said: “Lee has been making good progress after his operation and Noel Whelan is also making good progress with his hamstring.

He is doing some light training and strength work.

“Mark Bower just needs games and it’s the same with Josh Gray. Chris Lumsdson needs another week off to give his back time to heal after his operation.”

Bottom of the table Darlington lost 3-0 two weeks ago at Barnet who are unbeaten in their last eight league and cup home games.

But Staunton knows the result could easily have been different had Quakers taken their scoring chances.

“We’re going down there as underdogs but the players know they are capable of winning after the performance they put in,” he said. “It’s about belief and the confidence to go and do it.

“We didn’t make the goalkeeper work last time. Although we had great chances we didn’t give the keeper much to do!”

Staunton has permission to use all five of his loan players in the Cup. Moses Barnett’s spell from Everton expires tomorrow when a decision will be made on his future.

Defender Rikki Bains has joined Blyth on loan while Dan Riley has been lined up for a spell at Darlington RA.