Exeter City-Hartlepool United: Billy Paynter back for Pools

Billy Paynter will return to the Hartlepool United squad for Saturday's League Two trip to Exeter City.

By The Newsroom

Published 11th Aug 2016, 11:09 BST

Updated 11th Aug 2016, 12:14 BST

Bill Paynter: Fit to play. Picture by FRANK REID

Paynyter was missing at Preston on Tuesday night in the EFL Cup after being sent home feeling under the weather.

The skipper, whose penalty against Colchester earned Pools a point last Saturday at the Northern Power & Gas Stadium, returned to training today at Maiden Castle.

“Billy’s training today,” Pools boss Craig Hignett said this morning. “He could have played on Tuesday, at a push, but I didn’t see the point in risking him in the EFL Cup.”

Hignett has another tough selection process to negotiate, having made five changes in midweek with all his ‘stand-ins’ at Deepdale performing well.