Teenager Kevin Burgess has been called into the Darlington squad which flies down to Torquay this morning as illness continues to trouble the club.

Patrick Collins would have travelled to Devon but has picked up a virus, as has Gaetano Giallanza.

It ruled Giallanza out of Wednesday's reserve draw at Lincoln City, while Martin Smith is still no closer to recovering from his health problems.

Collins scored Quakers' equaliser for the second string at Lincoln but has since been feeling unwell.

So, with Tim Ryan still nursing an hamstring injury and Darren Holloway out of favour, an opportunity has arisen for ex-Middlesbrough defender Burgess.

He joined in January after being released from the Riverside and has since featured in the reserves.

He has been called on as cover, although Evan Horwood is expected to have shaken off an ankle injury picked up in the win over Accrington Stanley.

Tuesday's win saw Smith withdrawn in the second half after becoming ill in the changing rooms and his long-running problem, which stretches back to Christmas, continues to cause concern.

Quakers tried and failed to have their Boxing Day game postponed when many of the squad were feeling under the weather and manager Dave Penney admits he is worried about Smith .

He said: "Martin seems okay. He just feels ill whenever he does any physical activity, which is not very good when you're a footballer! Whenever he does any kind of exercise he feels violently sick.

"He saw a specialist and he's got to have a camera shoved down his throat to see what's in there. We're not sure whether it's a virus or something else.

"We've just got to see how he goes. If the doctor can't diagnose the problem then I'm sure I can't.

"Hopefully we'll get that sorted out as quickly as possible but that won't be before the weekend.

"Martin has not been well for seven or eight weeks and now Gaetano has got some kind of a bug. He couldn't play in the reserves and has got similar symptoms to Martin, which is worrying.

"Gaetano came in for training, did a few laps around the pitch and he looked as though he was going to be sick.

"Patrick has got something as well so let's hope it's not running through the camp again."

Joining Burgess in the squad are Craig James and Carlos Logan while goalkeeper Lee Jones has recovered from a thigh strain but Sam Russell is still sidelined with the same injury.