CARL Magnay will be out of action for the rest of the year, with the Hartlepool United captain today booked in for surgery.

The right-back has been playing in discomfort in recent weeks, suffering from a hernia problem.

He was forced off an hour into last Tuesday’s draw with Tranmere and didn’t travel to Torquay for Saturday’s 2-0 win.

And surgery today will keep him out for around eight weeks.

Boss Craig Harrison said last week the option of managing the problem and putting surgery off was being considered, but surgery will clear up the issue in time for the second half of the season.

While Liam Donnelly will stand-in at right-back, he will miss two games on Northern Ireland Under-21 international duty this month.

That could mean a start for teenager Kenton Richardson. He impressed in trying circumstances at the end of last season and did well when appearing as a substitute at the weekend.

Pools’ squad was boosted at the weekend with the debut of midfielder Luke George. He moved from Chester in the summer, but has been sidelined through a number of injuries since.

Saturday was his first start and he was solid in central midfield.

“It might not have been the prettiest of games – we’ve had to grind it out in the first half,’’ he reflected.

“You’ll get a lot of that in this league, the main thing is we’ve got three points and we’re closer to our goal of getting in the play-off positions. “That shows good character in the dressing room and character in the group.

“It might not have been the prettiest of games – we’ve had to grind it out in the first half. “You’ll get a lot of that in this league, the main thing is we’ve got three points and we’re closer to our goal of getting in the play-off positions.

“That shows good character in the dressing room and character in the group. Obviously when we got in at half-time that we hadn’t been good enough in possession.

“The plus point was we did soak up all that pressure and we did grind it out.

“When you go away in this league that’s what you have to do.

“We’ve come out and played better in the second half and got the goals I think we deserved.’’