HARTLEPOOL United fans may have to wait a little longer to see Joel Porter and Adam Boyd back in tandem.

But, while last season's leading scorers home in on their returns, Pool's current strikers are determined to make life easy when they are back.

Both Porter and Boyd have a goal and a reserve outing under their belts, after brief outings in the last couple of weeks.

They had hoped to be involved in today's encounter with Blackpool at Victoria Park, but must wait a while longer before the first team beckons.

But, until their comebacks, Jon Daly is desperate to welcome them back into the fold in a pressure free situation.

With games against two of the four teams below them in the League One table approaching - Martin Scott's side go to Rotherham next weekend - Daly has set his team-mates a target.

"There's two big games coming up now and we are looking for four or six points from them, nothing less,'' he insisted.

"To come away with that and then we can start to look at the play-offs. We've got two good players coming back from injury shortly as well, so that gives us all a lift.

"Then we are getting a full squad back and it's going to be hard for the manager to pick a team then.

"Joel played and scored for the reserves and Boydy played and scored in midweek - it's great for everyone to see them back.

"We've something like 50 goals on the sidelines this season - anyone would miss them. I'm not the sort of player who is going to score 25 goals a season, I know that myself, but I will do everything I can.

"We've got Boydy there who is a great talent and he's going to bang in 25-30 and Joel's the same, he's capable of 20-25 a season.

"Who wouldn't miss them?

"But we've a good enough squad I think to deal with missing them and when they do come back, try not to put too much pressure on them.

"The fans might expect a lot, but they have been out for a long time and it's going to be hard for them to get their fitness levels right.

"But with that talent on the sidelines it's nice to see them back.

"It's a bit disappointing to see them come back to a team which isn't at the top end of the table. We would have liked to see them return to push us into the top three.''

Pool have not won since Bournemouth were beaten at Victoria Park on December 10 - eight games ago.

They have recorded only three victories in front of their own fans this season and Daly added: "I think all the lads are frustrated, speak to any one of them and we don't feel we should be down there.

"We've had results that have gone against us which shouldn't have - Southend at home, Colchester at home, Walsall away - it's games like those which we know were missed opportunities.

"Even Swindon at home, the first half was one way traffic and they should have been buried.

"We haven't been taking chances and have been punished for it.''

Daly formed a promising partnership with Jon-Paul Pittman at Swansea last Saturday, the loan signing's pace complimenting Daly's game.

They will be paired together again this afternoon and Daly was quick to pay tribute to his temporary strike partner: "Jon-Paul has pace to burn and he will always give defenders trouble. I haven't got that sort of pace, I wish I did, but I haven't.

"I took a lot of knocks, there was a lot of high balls up there for me to try and win to get JP in. I got two dead legs in the first half, so I was feeling it after half time - perhaps that's where my pace had gone in the second half! It must have been, I can blame it on that.''

On a more serious note, Daly has enjoyed two impressive performances in the last fortnight.

The targetman made his mark against both Tranmere and Swansea, as he took the knocks which last week allowed Pittman the chance to use his pace to good affect.

"I was quite pleased with my game against Tranmere as well as Swansea,'' he said. "I thought I put myself about and won my headers. That's my game.

"I will try and get the odd goal up there, but the likes of JP and James Walker, when he came on, are more of a threat.

"I thought personally I did OK, the same as last week.

"You could see what it meant to everyone at the end, scoring like that. We've set a standard now and we have to match it. We had 150 or so fans at Swansea last week and you could see what it meant to every single one of them at the end.

"They deserved it, because it's a long way to travel for them.''

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