Pools star to start at Charlton
DENIS Behan will start tomorrow night's daunting trip to Charlton Athletic after making his Hartlepool United comeback.
The Irish striker made his first appearance in eight weeks in Saturday's 5-0 drubbing from MK Dons after replacing the ineffective Armann Bjornsson five minutes before half-time.
Director of sport Chris Turner was reluctant to throw Behan straight back into the action after barely kicking a ball in snow-affected training since returning from ankle ligament damage.
But the need to change a side who were distinctly second best forced Turner to look to the 25-year-old.
Behan will at least have benefited from some minutes under his belt as Pools face an uphill task to bounce back from their MK Dons humiliation.
Behan's inclusion is unlikely to be the only change against the third place Addicks with the likes of Leon McSweeney, Colin Larkin and Jon-Andre Fredriksen pushing for a starting berth.
Turner said: "I said to the lads I took off on Saturday 'don't think it's just you. I could have taken anybody off'.
"Denis Behan has played 50 minutes.
"I didn't want to play him because he's been out for eight weeks and he's only trained two or three days on grass.
"It was a bit of a gamble putting him on but he's got it under his belt and he'll start tomorrow against Charlton.
"We've got to see who has got the mettle. Who is up for the fight and who is ready to go again?
"It's no use hiding under the blanket and hoping it goes away."
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Weather for Hartlepool
Thursday 09 February 2012
Today
Heavy sleet
Temperature: 1 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 8 mph
Wind direction: South
Tomorrow
Light sleet showers
Temperature: -0 C to 3 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South
