MATTHEW Bates starts in central defence for Hartlepool United this evening, as they aim to make it four wins from four at the start of the season.

Harry Worley was injured in Saturday's win at York and is forced out. Bates played 84 minutes in the Bootham Crescent victory after Worley was forced off - and he misses the game against one of his former clubs.

Pools' skipper and striker Billy Paynter is out to score for the fourth successive game - and if Pools win it will equal a club record set in 1952 of four successive wins at the start of a season.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-3): Bartlett; Duckworth, Bates, Harrison, Carroll; Featherstone, Magnay, Woods; Fenwick, Paynter, Bingham. Subs: Denton (gk), Walker, Oyenuga, Nelson-Addy, Oates, Jones, Smith.

NEWPORT COUNTY: Day; Holmes, Barrow, Elito, Klukowski, Twumasi, Boden, Parselle, Poole, Byrne, Collins. Subs: Taylor (gk), Hayden, Owen-Evans, Shephard, Bamford, Jones, Angel.

Referee: Ben Toner