COMPETITION rules mean Pool">Hartlepool United must field a strong side against Grimsby in the Johnstone’s Paint Trophy tonight, but Chris Turner has no worries about pitching his squad players into action.

Teams must field at least six players who have played in the majority of games this season or face a fine. Armann Bjornsson, Jon-Andre Fredriksen, Jonny Rowell and Colin Larkin will all start.

Peter Hartley should be fit after a hip injury forced him out of Saturday’s loss at Exeter.

“I made two changes at half-time on Saturday – Andy Monkhouse due to illness and James Brown through injury,’’ said Turner. “We also lost Hartley before the game, he injured a hip in training on Thursday and then aggravated it in the warm up.

“I didn’t see any problems with the changes we had to make, we got on with it and played well.

“Tuesday we will make changes because some players need a 90 minute game in a competitive tie because we want to do well in the competition.

“We made enforced changes on Saturday and we will make more changes on Tuesday – Rowell, Fredriksen, Bjornsson, Larkin will all be involved against Grimsby.’’ Visiting boss Mike Newell, in charge when Pools were promoted in 2003, will also change his side around. They are third bottom in League Two and without Barry Conlon, who is about to start a four game ban.

Pools defender Neil Austin will keep his place after starting the last three games.

“It’s always good to have a Tuesday game after a disappointing result on the Saturday so you can bounce back as quick as possible,’’ he said.

“Now we have to bounce back and win on Tuesday and against Brentford on Friday.

“I came for first-team football.

I didn’t come to sit on the bench. I want to stay in the team for the rest of the season now.’’ Pools: Flinders; Austin, Collins, Liddle, Hartley; McSweeney, Rowell, Humphreys, Fredriksen; Larkin, Bjornsson.