By Martin Walker

It couldn't have gone any better for debutant Joe Clarke, who scored on his first professional game for Darlington yesterday.

The 22-year-old was allowed to leave Blue Square North side Solihull Moors to take up Mark Cooper's offer of full-time football at the Northern Echo Arena, just a month after joining them from Redditch United.

Clarke had just finished an apprenticeship in carpentry before his big move to full-time football came along.

"I always knew I had the ability, it was just a case of getting a chance," said Clarke, who scored Darlington's second goal against Gateshead yesterday.

"You get frustrated sometimes. I was playing in the division below last year, with Redditch, and at the end of last season Solihull signed me.

"That was a confidence booster, I had a good pre-season with them and then Darlington came in for me.

"Solihull were disappointed - I'd been captain in the last game - but I think they realised that I had been waiting a while for this chance so they weren't going to stand in my way so they wished me all the best."

Clarke added: "I've always been working towards being a professional footballer, but felt I needed something to fall back on and maybe in ten or 12 years time I might need it so I tried carpentry.

"It was alright, it was graft, it was hard but I enjoyed it. It was a 7.30am until 4.30pm job, Monday to Friday, so now I'm really working hard in training because I've got to take this chance."

Clarke is big mates with Manchester City and England star Gareth Barry.

"The last couple of years I've got to know him though a friend," he said.

"There's a group of us that hang about and play a little bit of golf and stuff so I'm sure he'll be pleased with me getting a clean sheet and a goal!"