Bury V Hartlepool at Gigg Lane : Match Preview

03 February 2012 09:31
Barker sweats on duo

Bury manager Richie Barker is sweating on the fitness of midfield duo David Worrall and Giles Coke ahead of Hartlepool's visit to Gigg Lane.

Worrall hobbled out of Tuesday night's impressive 1-1 draw with npower League One leaders Charlton with a hamstring complaint midway through the second half. Coke was withdrawn in the closing stages at the Valley with a dead leg and is the more likely of the duo to be available.

In the worst case scenario that Barker is left short in midfield, he could turn to 18-year-old Luke McCarthy, who returned from a loan spell with Blue Square Bet Premier outfit Grimsby this week.

McCarthy's best realistic hope of action is from the substitutes' bench, with Southampton loanee Ryan Doble and Mark Carrington best placed to deputise for Worrall and Coke respectively.

Hartlepool defender Evan Horwood is expected to shake off a knee injury in time for the game.

Horwood was forced off shortly before half-time in last week's win over Carlisle after taking a heavy knock, but the injury was not as bad as first feared and the full-back returned to full training on Tuesday.

But manager Neale Cooper, who has no new injury or suspension problems, will still be without striker James Poole, who has missed the last six matches due to a troublesome hamstring injury.

Another striker, Colin Nish, made his first appearance since the end of October - he had knee surgery in November - when stepping off the substitutes' bench last week and is pushing for his first start in over two months.

But Pools recorded their biggest win of the season against Carlisle and James Brown is expected to resume his partnership up front alongside teenager Luke James, who has scored three goals in his first eight appearances for the club.

Bury V Hartlepool - view commentary, squad, and statictics of the game live.

Source: PA