James Brown - doubt

By Charlie Summerbell
November 4 2009

Chris Turner probably won’t need to consider making changes for the weekend’s FA Cup-tie against non-League Kettering – three of his first-choice players are doubtful anyway and once he has replaced them, he is likely to fight shy of changing his team any more. None of the trio - James Brown, Richie Jones and Leon McSweeney – are seriously injured, but they are not expected to be risked.

Brown missed last weekend’s 3-3 draw at Brighton, while McSweeney and Jones were taken off during the game.
Having made unforced changes against Grimsby in the Johnstone’s Paints Trophy and seen the move backfire with a home defeat, Turner is not likely to tempt fate again and will field his strongest possible team against a Kettering team managed by former Pools player Mark Cooper, who was boss of Telford when they won at the Vic a few seasons ago.
Kettering were lucky to get a point at home to Wrexham on Tuesday night, a penalty in added time making the score 2-2. Former Pools target Anthony Elding, on loan from Crewe, scored Kettering’s opening goal but it’s not clear yet whether he will be allowed to play on Saturday.
It appears that there’s no danger of Pools underestimating their opponents, and that is how it should be because Kettering are by no means a weak side, lying third top in the Conference level on points with second-top Stevenage behind runaway leaders Oxford.