Experienced goalkeeper Tommy Taylor lost his place in the Darlington team recently and Josh Gowling has explained he is tinkering with things and making “tough decisions”.

With Quakers bottom of the National League North table, Gowling was brought in to replace the axed Alun Armstrong and the new manager has swiftly made bold changes in an attempt to improve results.

Taylor had played 107 successive matches for Quakers after joining in the summer of 2021, but was dropped after Gowling’s first match in charge last month, a 1-1 draw with Gloucester.

Centre-back Jake Lawlor was also dropped after that result but returned to the starting XI last Saturday, when Darlington lost 2-1 at home to King’s Lynn Town, but Taylor remains on the sidelines.

He has been replaced between the sticks by 21-year-old David Robson, on loan from Hull City, and Gowling explained: “We brought a keeper in and he’s a different profile to Tommy.

“Tommy has done nothing wrong, but we are where are so we have to make changes. Recently Tommy and Jake came out of the team, next week it could be someone else if results don’t pick up.

“I want to place on record nobody is blaming Tommy for the results, or Jake.

“As a manager I’ve got to make tough decisions. Tommy is an unbelievable keeper, he’s been a great servant to the club, same as Jake, and they are part of our plans for now.”

Robson signed on loan the same week as defender Jack Hannah, though his loan from Middlesbrough has been terminated early this week.

Gowling admits the squad needs strengthening, and, speaking prior to last Saturday’s fixture, he said: “We are looking at things. Before we came in we looked at certain areas of the team that needs improving.

“We’re just looking at areas to improve the club You have to tinker with things, look at the dynamics, take certain players out of the team, put certain players back in.

“Bringing David in has been good. It has given Tommy something to think about. One thing we can’t be is comfortable because we’re in a poor situation so we need to kick on.

“The squad needs strengthening, there’s no doubt about that.

“I’m not going to say we need wholesale changes, but we’re looking at things. The budget has been spent so we have to tweak things.

“If I say we have to strengthen in a certain area I am sure the board will back me 100 per cent. But we haven’t got an endless pot of cash, so at some point we’re going to move things around a bit.

“The big thing is the sustainability of the club and the league position. We’ve got to do both.”

This weekend Darlington are at Banbury, who are 15th, then they have two home fixtures inside a week: Blyth on Tuesday, and Spennymoor Town on Saturday, October 28.

Darlington have won one of their 12 league games this season. Including results last season, they have won three of their last 29 league fixtures.

“We are where we are for a reason,” added Gowling. “In January we were top of the league, now we’re bottom. The same group of players dropped out of the play-offs last season, so something switched. It’s a mental thing, for me.

“I know a couple of players left, then the new season started with some new players but the results have carried on.

“That for me is more of a mental thing than anything else.”