TREVOR CARSON admits he had no hesitation in coming back from surgery early to help Hartlepool United.

The goalkeeper was ruled out for the season after a shoulder operation in January. However, after returning to injury two weeks ago, he started on Saturday as Pools lost at Cheltenham Town.

There’s every chance he will start Saturday’s must-win home game with Doncaster too as stand-in boss Matthew Bates calls on Carson’s nous and experience.

Carson admitted: “I didn’t think I’d be back playing. Northern Ireland have a qualifier on June 10 and I ruled myself out for that and that’s a good month and a bit away.

“So to be back playing now was never planned. Twenty weeks was the timescale I was given and it’s 14 weeks now.

“It’s still niggly and not 100 per cent but it’s so frustrating sitting watching and not being able to affect it.’’

Former boss Dave Jones replaced deputy keeper Adam Bartlett with Joe Fryer and the Middlesbrough loanee has impressed during his time at Pools.

And Carson admitted: “Big Joe has been fantastic.

“To come into a relegation battle, and the way he’s handled himself, he’s been unbelievable.

“The only reason I played was perhaps that little bit of experience and character but that wasn’t needed on Saturday.”

Carson was relegated with Cheltenham two years ago and moved to Pools in the hope of better fortunes.

Instead he could be suffering a devastating repeat scenario on Saturday evening.

“I’ve always said I owe the club a lot,’’ he reflected. “The fans are unbelievable and follow us everywhere, and you have to put yourself on the line for this club.

“It’s such a fantastic club that doesn’t deserve to go out of the league, and I think I can help.

“I just made myself available and Matthew Bates chose to use me.

“If he needs me this week, then I hope that means the decision paid off.”

It’s a simple scenario: Newport must drop points against Notts County and Pools must beat Doncaster in front of the Sky Sports cameras to stay up.

And Carson, with ticket prices pegged back to £5 for the game, admitted: “It’s such a strange one, because you don’t want to stay up because other teams have lost.

“If we stay up Victoria Park will be buzzing next week.

“We shouldn’t be in this position, but we are and it’s one of those things.

“We know that Newport got beat but us getting beat in any game of football overshadows everything.”