Three on the sick list at Pools (From The Northern Echo)

Three on the sick list at Pools

9:45am Thursday 26th November 2009

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)

Hartlepool United go to Carlisle without three first teamers next week.

Colin Larkin missed Tuesday’s loss to Southampton with a hamstring strain which will keep him out for another two weeks.

Ritchie Jones was sent off against the Saints, while Denis Behan is facing up to two months out with an ankle injury.

“We are going to be missing three players on Tuesday, it gives the opportunity for others who have to come in and do the business,’’ said director of sport Chris Turner.

“It’s up to them to produce.

“We will be missing three big players, but we have players biting to get back in, they need to come in and perform.

“Denis came back in and I think he showed he had regained some confidence, it’s sod’s law he is out for five or six weeks now.”

Behan was taken to hospital on Tuesday after falling awkwardly in the second half, but an X-ray showed no fracture. He still faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines.

On Jones’ late dismissal, Turner said: “It was a tackle he really shouldn’t have gone in for when he was on a yellow card. He slid in from distance and the player wasn’t in a dangerous position so it was wasted tackle.’’ Pools took the lead on Tuesday but, just like on Saturday at Huddersfield, were unable to keep it.

But Turner feels the backto- back defeats against sides he expects to be in the promotion frame showed his side can compete with the division’s big spenders.

“Southampton knew they had been in a game and that’s what we want every week. We played so well in the first half, but the second half was always going to be harder because of the conditions.

“I said to the players there was disappointment, but noone was dejected. Playing like that we will finish in the top half of the season, we have just lost to two good, strong teams from this division.

We haven’t lost to teams who are struggling – I believe both will be in the top seven come May.

“We lost both games, but showed we can compete against the best.”

Peter Hartley, Jones and Gary Liddle will be in the town’s Tesco store on Belle Vue Way this evening to sign copies of the club’s new book, The Official History of Hartlepool United.

Available in hardback or paperback, the 400-page publication is the definitive guide to Pools past and present.

The trio will be joined by H’Angus the Monkey from 5pm.

• Print
• Email
• Share
• Comments(0)