TOTO NSIALA won’t be suspended for Hartlepool United’s Checkatrade Trophy game at Notts County on Wednesday – because new rules mean the competition isn’t recognised as a first-team game.

The centre-half was red-carded three minutes into Saturday’s 2-2 draw with Newport at Victoria Park and faces a one-game ban.

Suspensions kick in immediately, but the defender will instead miss Saturday’s League Two game at Stevenage and be able to play at Meadow Lane.

When Premier League and Championship clubs were admitted to the competition for this season, the FA decreed that the games were not classed as first-team fixtures at the insistence of the 16 invited clubs – and instead be classed as reserve team fixtures.

Yet rules remain in place where clubs are ordered to field what is classed a first-team and Pools run the risk of being fined if they don’t follow the rules.

In 2006, after beating Rotherham 3-1 in the first round of the competition, Pools were awarded the performance of the round award.

But an hour after being presented with the honour, Pools were slapped by the Football League when they were fined £1,500 for fielding a weakened team in the game.

Pools will be without Trevor Carson and Liam Donnelly, with both players on international duty with Northern Ireland – Carson with the full squad and Donnelly with the Under-21s. Matthew Bates is an injury doubt, while Rob Jones is also ruled out with a back injury.