SAM Collins was back on the training ground yesterday - but there's no guarantee the Hartlepool United skipper will be back in the team tomorrow even if he is fit.

Unbeaten Pools go to Carlisle, with Collins ready after a hamstring strain kept him out of the last three games.

But with Stephen Wright stepping into the side last weekend and making an impressive debut, Collins may have to make do with a spot on the bench.

Evan Horwood won't play, the left-back is still suffering from a thigh problem, and misses out on a return to his former club.

"Evan won't be ready, I really don't think so,'' said Mick Wadsworth. "He's probably a week away from what the medical people say. Sam is going to be fit, good news and he's training.

"We are getting more people back on the pitch which is good. Stephen Wright came in last week and did very, very well and we have to look at the situation and see if we have to do anything.

"Sam knows the situation and if he can't get straight back into the team it's good plaudits to those who are in the team.

"We have lost key players and you usually are desperate to get them back in the team.''

Wadsworth last season often bemoaned the balance of his squad, and set out during the summer to reshape his options.

And, with a number of key players injured already this season and missing out, Wadsworth has put his squad to good use.

"We've not had to rush getting them back in,'' he said. "Liddle, Sweeney and Sam have all be injured, Luscombe got sent off and by and large the squad has coped well.

"Perhaps it is a marker, Sam is a key player - our captain - and if he has to bide his time to get back in the team, and I'm not saying that's the case yet, then it's a good sign and Sam understands it.''

Wadsworth added: "We look a bit tighter than last year.

"This year we have a unit of 21/22 players and if we play any of them I don't really worry too much about who is out and who is in.

"We don't bemoan our luck, but we lost key players early on and people came in and did OK. Hopefully it will carry us on to better things and it's nice to be unbeaten after having injuries.

"It would be nice with more wins, although we are in a decent situation, but if we lose we can slip up and be in a poor situation.''