Source: Northern_Echo
Cooper gives Darlington a break
Darlington players return to training tomorrow as manager Mark Cooper has given them a break ahead of the final league match of the season.[LNB] Quakers close the curtain on their Blue Square Bet Premier campaign on Saturday at home to Rushden & Diamonds, a match that brings to an end what has been a demanding schedule.[LNB] Due to a series of postponements earlier in the season, Darlington have been playing catch-up with their fixtures which has meant playing two games a week since md-March.[LNB] That run, coupled with the FA Trophy final against Mansfield Town taking place a week on Saturday, led to Cooper making nine changes for Monday's game at Southport.[LNB] Regulars such as Sam Russell, Paul Arnison, Liam Hatch, Marc Bridge-Wilkinson, Ian Miller and Aaron Brown were all rested and in their absence Quakers were held to a 1-1 draw.[LNB] Risking not winning at a relegation-threatened side was worth it, though, said Cooper who is keen to protect his players from injury.[LNB] Aware that Mansfield striker Paul Connor tore a calf muscle last week, Cooper said: "I wouldn't have been doing my job properly had I played the likes of Bridge-Wilkinson, Miller and Brown.[LNB] "You've seen what has happened to Paul Connor, so I don't think anyone is going to hold it [nine changes] against me.[LNB] "We needed to rest some players. Ian Miller had not had a break when a lot of the others had so we drastically changed the team. He needs a rest because he was knackered.[LNB] "There was no way we could have played him on Saturday and Monday, then again this Saturday and expected him to be at full throttle for Wembley.[LNB] "Arnison needed a bit of a rest too because he's played a lot of games.[LNB] "I have no regrets about changing the team because the biggest thing for us now is Wembley and that's why we made the changes.[LNB] "It was a case of picking whoever was fit, but hadn't been featuring.[LNB] "Our main aim is winning the Trophy at Wembley. We knew that getting into the play-offs was unlikely, but we still wanted to get a result at Southport because we want to finish as high as we can."[LNB] Southport moved up one place to fifth bottom thanks to the point and Cooper added: "They needed a win but they got a good point which has set them up for the weekend, but what pleased me was that they we came through the game without any more injuries.[LNB] "The players are going to have a couple of days off now, they are back on Thursday before the Rushden game and then a clear week leading up to Wembley.[LNB] "I'm looking forward to the last league game. It would be nice to get a win to set us up for the final."[LNB] Darlington are continuing to sell tickets for the final at a steady pace and by 6pm yesterday had sold 7,123. Mansfield's latest figure is 11,116.[LNB] n Supporters are reminded that Darlington's match on Saturday kicks-off at 5.15pm.[LNB] All games in the Blue Square Bet Premier kick-off at the unusual time due to the Tamworth versus Forest Green game being televised on Premier Sports.[LNB]
