Shrewsbury V Hartlepool at Greenhous Meadow Stadium : Match Preview

11 January 2013 15:31
Shrewsbury V Hartlepool - view commentary, squad, and statistics of the game live.


McAllister eyes Shrews debut

Shrewsbury could hand a debut to David McAllister for the visit of basement-boys Hartlepool.

The midfielder signed from Sheffield United for an undisclosed fee on Tuesday and is expected to be in contention for Graham Turner's side.

On-loan West Brom defender Cameron Gayle will play, having extended his stay until the end of the season, and midfielder Luke Summerfield is fit again after his hernia operation.

Defender Jermaine Grandison faces a late check on a hip strain but is expected to be fit, while midfielder Mark Wright is hoping to make a return from the knee injury that has seen him miss the last six games.

Shrews are unbeaten in their last seven fixtures and have not conceded in their last three games. They go into the game as favourites against a Pools side who have won just one of their last 24 matches in all competitions.

Hartlepool will include Charlie Wyke in their squad after reaching agreement with Middlesbrough to extend his loan spell at the club.

Wyke, 20, who spent three months on loan with Pools at the end of last year, making nine appearances without scoring, started in the club's last match - the home defeat to Preston on New Year's Day - and is expected to play some part this weekend.

Midfielder Simon Walton is hoping to shake off the hamstring strain that forced him out of the action against Preston, leaving manager John Hughes with a virtually full-strength squad to choose from.

Goalkeeper Andy Rafferty, who is continuing his rehabilitation following knee surgery during the summer, remains Hughes' only absentee.

Strikers Luke James and James Poole are pushing for recalls after stepping off the substitutes' bench in the second half against Preston, while Hughes must decide whether to recall midfielder Andy Monkhouse and teenage defender Jack Baldwin in pursuit of his side's third league win of the season.

Source: PA