By Martin Walker

Mark Cooper is challenging striker Liam Hatch to make an impact at Eastbourne Borough tomorrow.

The on-loan front man missed Monday night's draw at Barrow with a hamstring injury, but he's available again for the Quakers this weekend.

And Cooper admits he's looking for more out of the Peterborough target man, who hasn't scored since the opening day win over Newport County.

"We want more from Hatchy," said Cooper. "We need him to lead the line and look after young Michael Smith.

"If Hatchy is right at it he can be a really effective player. We need him to add some quality around the box, as we do with all the strikers because the strikers have scored two goals between them this season.

"That's not enough and we need to add to that tally. Michael Smith has done well but he's got to add goals to his game.

"As a striker, no matter how well you play you get judged on how many goals you score."

Cooper has mixed injury news going into the weekend's trip to Eastbourne.

Darlington made the long trek to the South coast today before their game against Garry Wilson's Borough side tomorrow, who are 14th in the Blue Square Bet Premier League and two points behind the Quakers.

Tommy Wright has been ruled out for up to six weeks with a calf injury, while Ian Miller also misses out tomorrow with a knee injury.

But Darlington are boosted by the return of defender Kevin Austin and young midfielder John McReady as well as Hatch, who've all made the journey South.

"Hatchy and Kevin are both big players for us and if we can get the other ones back then it'll be even better because that will give us competition for places," added Cooper.

"The ones in the team will know that they've got someone breathing down their neck and that's how you get healthy competition."