DARWEN manager Steve Wilkes has a 'dream team' up front - but it is his defence that is causing him headaches.

The Anchor Ground boss signed former Chorley striker Matt Swailes from big-spending Salford City this week to team up with the league's top goalscorer for the past two years, Paul Baker.

And the pair hit two each in the side's nine-goal thriller against Daisy Hill on Tuesday night, a game the home side won 6-3.

"I have got the best centre forward in the league now in Matt Swailes," said Wilkes.

"He has come from Salford City where he was getting paid big money but wasn't in the side, to play here for nothing, because he just wants to play football.

"There is a danger of someone else coming in for him of course but if they do I will shake his hand and wish him all the best. If I get 10 games out of him I bet he scores 20 goals."

Wilkes is happy with the situation up front but now wants to see his side - which he has now christened 'the entertainers' - keep a clean sheet at home to Padiham in NWCL Division Two tomorrow.

"Nothing would make me happier than to win 1-0," said Wilkes. "We have won four out of the last five league games but we have conceded 40 goals this season.

"That's a lot of goals and we have only kept one clean sheet, against Bootle.

"We have got to start being more solid at the back."

Wilkes is sidelined with a recurrence of the cartilage injury which kept him out for the past two years. "I am gutted," he said. "I got both knees sorted and now I have gone and done it again."

Meanwhile, Padiham boss Graham Howarth is not too concerned about the Baker-Swailes partnership but he is concerned about his own side's lack of punch up front.

"We are still struggling to score goals but in defence we have been alright. Hopefully we can get something out of the game.

"I saw the first half of Darwen's game against Daisy Hill on Tuesday and the two lads up front looked sharp but I couldn't see where three goals were going to come from."

The Storks are desperate for a win after one victory in seven matches.

But they will be without newlywed Dean Stowe, who is on his honeymoon, and Damian Ingham, who is also away.