Hartlepool news: Injury update on keeper Trevor Carson

Manager Craig Hignett revealed that the club will give the Northern Irishman every opportunity to be declared fit for the clash, after a scan revealed that the 28-year-old suffered no major damage to his finger last weekend.

The goalie was taken off after just 35 minutes of the home win over Cheltenham last week, having dislocated his little finger.

The injury forced him to withdraw from Michael O'Neill's international squad for the Croatia friendly in Belfast, a match in which Carson was set to make his international bow.

On the injury, and his chances of making the trip to South Yorkshire this weekend, Hignett said: "His finger was in a bad way when he came off on Saturday.

"He has been and had treatment, has been away with Northern Ireland and come back.

"He has had a scan and he has no major damage. It is just a real sore one.

"We will have to see how it goes."

Sub goalkeeper Adam Bartlett is on stand by to step in, should Carson be ruled out.