By Albatross
April 14 2004

Hartlepool United will be without influential defender Michael Nelson for at least another two weeks. Nelse has been diagnosed with a stress fracture in his right foot and looks certain to miss the games with Notts COunty and Rushden. Nelse has escaped getting plastered, but with his stress fracture meaning another two weeks on the sidelines Pools playoff push will be that bit harder. While we may be on a good run at the moment, our defence looks a lot better with Nelson in it than without him - although Mark Tinkler has been doing a sterling job there.

The return to fitness of Mickey Barron does give us more options though, and we do at least have what are on paper the easier two games of our run in in the next couple of weeks; it may yet be that Nelse will be able to return against Plymouth. With no sign yet of Scott Walker - presumably still in Scotland for personal reasons - Cooper will quite possibly be wrapping Westie in cotton wool for the next two weeks.

There are two other matters that will hopefully be settled this week. The Reserves can claim their divisional title with a victory over Newcastle; and more importantly Pools will be speaking to Blackburn to try and secure the services of Neil Danns for the rest of the season. Speaking on Pools World, Danns certainly sounded keen to extend his stay - which means it's down to Blackburn. With Strachan's injury last weekend, Danns has got his chance in the middle - and the youngster will not want to lose out now.