CARL MAGNAY, Hartlepool United’s captain, is facing more injury problems with the defender set to miss the Christmas programme.

Two games into his comeback from a hernia operation, Magnay is suffering from fluid on the lung, the result of a collision in last weekend’s defeat at Dover.

Magnay will be out for to 14 days, before he will be able to resume training. He completed the full game at Dover but was taken to hospital on Monday after the problem surfaced.

“Injuries aren’t helping us, we have had another,’’ mused boss Craig Harrison. “Carl Magnay will be out a few weeks, after an impact injury on Saturday which has turned into something a little more serious.

“He was hospitalised on Monday and he’s got a small bit of fluid on the lung. He’s going to be out of training for up to two weeks and then we see. It’s not good.’’

Harrison’s injury list has long been a lengthy one this season, with captain Nicky Featherstone now suffering from a broken fibula bone.

“Senior players have been missing a lot, our older players are 25 and we have missed them – Carl, Donaldson, Cassidy, Franks, Featherstone, Watson, George – we have missed them all together.

“It’s not one or two of them out, it’s a cluster of them together and we are looking at six-seven players who would be staking a claim for a start who are unavailable.

“We have chances for others to stake a place, but it’s massively frustrating. I’ve not been able to pick a settled team for 13/14 weeks now, but we have managed some good results in that time.’’

Pools’ best run of form and results came when Harrison was able to field a settled side, and that included loan centre half Keith Watson, who remains at Pools from St Johnstone and is gradually stepping up his training.

But, ahead of tomorrow’s FA Trophy game at Workington, Pools have only won twice in ten games.

And Harrison added: “I’m not hiding behind anything, this side should be getting better results than we are. It’s frustrating to have them senior players out of the team,, out of the dressing room on a matchday and the influence they bring.

“We have missed them all, but we get on with it and keep going and they will come back.

“Halfway through the season we are frustrated – that’s the key word for me. We should be higher in the table than we are with a more points.

“But on the flip side we aren’t a million miles away, we have been on the cusp of taking a step into the play-offs and just fell short at that moment for whatever reason.’’

Pools sit 14th in the National League and last weekend’s 4-0 defeat at Dover brought an angry reaction from the travelling fans, with players and manager on the receiving end of their ire.

Harrison admitted: “We need more consistency now and get into the top seven. We have a lot of games coming up in a short period of time, it’s all about preparation and it’s important why this week and next we have crammed a lot into training because the following two weeks after about game, preparation and recovery.

“We can’t afford any more injuries – the fitness staff have looked at it and the number of muscle injuries are minimal – it’s been impact injuries, broken nose, everything and anything. The lads working in sports science and fitness are doing all they can and six to eight of 36 injuries being muscle injuries is a low percentage.

“Is it bad luck? It’s a very physical league and we have been unfortunate.’’