NEALE Cooper yesterday received mixed news on the injury front.

On the day that Hugh Robertson's, Darrell Clarke and Eifion Williams marked their returns with goals in the 3-0 reserve win over Walsall, Cooper discovered that he is going to lose captain Micky Barron.

The defender is suffering from cartilage damage and is likely to need an operation to cure the problem.

"It looks like he might need surgery,'' said Cooper. "He went off on Saturday and has been struggling.

"He has seen the specialist and now we have to see what is next.''

Jack Ross replaced Barron at right back in Tuesday's defeat at Walsall but the Scot wants to return home after moving south in the summer.

Cooper said: "I can't let Jack go while Micky is out. That goes without saying.''

Robertson played 15 minutes of Tuesday's defeat at the Bescot Stadium and, after being out for three months with a career-threatening foot injury, could start Saturday's game with Stockport.

He netted a trademark 25-yard free kick yesterday. Williams netted the opener, from a Robertson cross, and Clarke completed the win.

Robertson's return will be welcomed by Cooper, who was critical of his full backs on Tuesday.

"The first-half was as good as we have played all season, we dominated the game,'' he said.

"But we let them back into it, gave away a daft corner seconds into the second-half and gave them a big lift.

"Merson takes the corner and it gets the crowd going.

"For the first goal, we were soft. We have to stop the cross coming in and then challenge Merson at the back post.

"Jack Ross had to make sure he let Merson know he was there, instead he watched the ball drop and that was it.''

Tuesday's defeat was Pool's ninth League One away defeat this season and Cooper added: "We kept having a go at them when we went behind and played good stuff, but I'm sick of saying the same things after every away game.

"The opposition are having a ten-minute spell where they get a couple of chances and that's it, they are punishing us. There's not a lot else I can say. We need a bit more luck, but we are being punished for every little mistake.''