Source: Northern_Echo
Bowman becomes signing number six
FORMER Carlisle United striker Ryan Bowman has become Darlington's sixth summer signing.[LNB] The 19-year-old had been on trial since Quakers returned to pre-season training last month.[LNB] In that time he has featured regularly in the club's warmup matches and scored four goal, two of which came in Saturday's win at Whitby Town.[LNB] The striker has penned a six-month contract at The Northern Echo Arena, though the deal could be extended if he impresses in that time.[LNB] Bowman follows Graeme Lee, Adam Rundle, Kris Taylor, Chris Atkinson and James Walshaw to the Arena this summer, but manager Mark Cooper is not finished yet. He would like to bring in a keeper as back-up to Sam Russell, and in last nights' 4-2 win at Newton Aycliffe he gave another outing to trialist Lloyd Saxton.[LNB] Bowman's arrival takes the number of strikers on Darlington's books up to six: James Walshaw, Liam Hatch, John Campbell, Michael Smith and Tommy Wright being the others.[LNB] He is likely to play this evening when Darlington host Sunderland, a game that now kicks-off at 8pm. The start time has been put back 15 minutes at Sunderland's request.[LNB] Quakers are hoping for a repeat of the shock result they recorded against Middlesbrough ten days ago when they won 4-2 at the Arena.[LNB] A week later Quakers put six past Whitby and manager Mark Cooper was delighted to see work that had been done on the training ground put into practice at the Turnbull Ground.[LNB] Left disappointed by the 2-1 loss at Sheffield last midweek, Cooper has since drilled his players in attacking play He said: The work last week was about having a threat in behind the opposition defenders because we didn't have that at Sheffield. Yes, we mixed the players up against Sheffield and gave a game to a few who needed game, but apart from Walshaw we didn't have enough attacking threat.[LNB] So we worked on keeping and stretching the opposition defence which I think we did very well on Saturday at Whitby.[LNB] We passed the ball, we kept possession, and then we got in behind them.[LNB] Walshaw looks a real handful, I wouldn't want to play against him. Walshaw and Hatch did exactly what we worked on in training.[LNB] We played with the three forwards on Saturday, it was the first time we had put them together and we had Marc Bridge-Wilkinson behind in the diamond.[LNB] After a selection of firstteam players and youths were given at run-out at Newton Aycliffe last night, a stronger Darlington side will be selected this evening against the Black Cats who will include several Premier League regulars.[LNB] New signings Connor Whickham, Ji Dong Won and David Vaughan are all expected to be involved, along with defender Titus Bramble, French midfielder Steed Malbranque and Northern Ireland left-back George McCartney.[LNB] Admission this evening is £10 adults and £5 concessions. Darlington fans can buy tickets from the Arena main reception up to 4pm, and from the South Stand ticket office after then up to kick-off. Sunderland fans can buy tickets from the East Stand visitors ticket office only from 6pm.[LNB]
