NEALE Cooper is sure a midweek rest for Marco Gabbiadini will see him return refreshed.

The Hartlepool United striker, with four goals to his name this season, missed the midweek win over Wrexham after suffering a slight thigh strain last weekend.

Gabbiadini missed the start of the season when he was short on match fitness.

But he made a quick impression when he was given his opportunity and, after receiving intensive treatment in the last 48 hours, will be on the team bus which heads for Bournemouth today.

"Gabbers pulled out on the morning of the Wrexham game,'' said Cooper. "He wasn't right, so we put Eifion back up front.

"I think Marco will be all right for Saturday. He probably could have played on Tuesday, but he could have been on the pitch ten minutes then pulled up injured and we could have lost him for a few games.

"W've had a lot of games in a short period of time lately - Tuesday, Saturday, Tuesday, Saturday. I'm tired from them, so you can imagine how the players feel.

"We played Brighton last week, which was a real tough game, and then Wrexham straightaway. Look at how Brighton did in midweek - that shows it was a good point earned against them.

"Now he's had a rest, I know I will get a fit Marco Gabbiadini available at Bournemouth.''

Cooper could revert to three central defenders tomorrow, after admitting his side needs to tighten up defensively away from home.

Bournemouth have a number of injury worries, with defenders Shaun Maher doubtful with knee trouble, Karl Broadhurst struggling with a foot injury and Carl Fletcher out with a thigh strain.

Former Pool striker Steve Fletcher will be up front and could be joined in the forward line by Derek Holmes, who was a Pool target during his days at Ross County under Cooper.

On trial Greek goalkeeper Demitrios Konstantopoulos (No 30) and young central Defender Darren Craddock (No 29) have been allocated squad numbers at Victoria Park.

* Fans are advised to buy their tickets soon ahead of next Friday's all-ticket encounter with Sheffield Wednesday. The Cyril Knowles Stand is almost sold out, and there is only limited availability elsewhere. Wednesday have sold their near-1,000 allocation. Anyone buying tickets must already be registered on the ticketing database or take along proof of identity.

* Oldham's administrators have told potential investors that the club could go out of business on Monday. After three months in administration, the club could fold in days if a rescue poackage isn't brokered. A number of interested parties have come forward, but no deal is in place yet.

Read more about Hartlepool here.