WITH back to back home games to come, Craig Hignett is expecting his side to prove last weekend’s defeat was a blip.

After five games without defeat, Pools were beaten 3-1 at Dagenham.

They take on Dover on Saturday before Chesterfield visit Victoria Park on Tuesday and, speaking at his press conference this morning, the Pools boss admitted: “We have two home games to come, similar challenges. The league is upside down and you would expect some at the bottom to be up the top and some at the top to be lower. Anyone can beat anyone and you can’t predict it – there’s no bankers.

“Look at performances and see how teams are playing. These are two games in which we will have to work as hard as we have in the previous five.’’

Pools will be without Fraser Kerr for the next few weeks, with the centre-half suffering an ankle injury last weekend.

Luke Molyneux remains on crutches and in a protective moon boot as he recovers from an ankle injury suffered in pre-season, but Luke Williams is starting his return to training.

Hignett said: “We thought there was a fracture with Fraser, but the MRI has showed no fracture, it’s only swollen and sore.

“So we get through it and have another look when it goes down, but hopefully it’s not as bad as feared.

“The same lads are still working back – Luke Williams has had the stitches out so he will get back and be working on the grass, but Luke Molyneux is still some way off.

“Myles (Anderson) is still struggling with concussion and Niko (Muir) has felt his hamstring again which had put him back a bit and Zach Hemming has a back injury and is unavailable.’’