DARWEN manager Steve Wilkes dropped club captain Paul Baker in midweek because of a breach of discipline but the star striker will return for tomorrow's trip to Ashton Town in NWCL Division Two.

Baker took part in a clubhouse prank after the game on Easter Monday and Wilkes was not impressed.

"It was not the behaviour of a club captain and I told him he had let me down, let himself down and let the other players down because he is one of the top scorers in the division and he forced me to drop him.

"It is so unlike him because he is usually so professional but I needed to put my foot down because I am the manager and the players should respect me.

"But it is over now, the matter is finished and he will be back in the team tomorrow."

Darwen lost 2-1 at Nelson on Wednesday, Wilkes scored a 77th minute equaliser and wants to point out his celebration was only tongue-in-cheek. "I only whipped my shirt off because I heard someone from Nelson calling me fat!" he exclaimed.

He knows his side need to find form as they have picked up just one point from their last four games.

"They hardly got out of their half in the second half but scored with their only attack. John Bailey said that he didn't know how they'd got away with it."