Surgery keeps Carl Magnay out of Hartlepool United promotion push to 2018

Carl Magnay will undergo an operation this week on a hernia which has interrupted his goal of leading Pools up the table and back to the EFL.

The 28-year-old has been in some discomfort this month, ever since the 2-1 win at Solihull.

Magnay sat out the FA Cup victory at South Shields the following Saturday but started the 1-1 draws against Sutton and Tranmere, only to be forced off in the last quarter against Rovers.

The former Chelsea defender did not travel to Torquay at the weekend, when Pools won 2-0.

Boss Harrison spoke honestly about Magnay’s injury last week explaining the dilemma facing the club and player – whether to soldier on from game to game, which is possible with a hernia, or have the surgery now and get him bac fully fit in the new year.

Nicky Featherstone played with a double hernia for the latter part of last season, but Harrison was concerned that if his skipper needed to come off in every game it would hinder his tactical substitutions.

And he manager confirmed Magnay will have surgery in he coming days.

“Carl has had it a few weeks now, going back to Solihull,” said Harrison. “He will have his op this week.”

Magnay would need total rest for a week after his operation, but could be back jogging within a month.

The right-back could return to action between two and three months – the Gateshead-born defender has proven before he is a quick healer.

Last season, Magnay made a quicker-than-anticipated recovery from surgery on ruptured knee ligaments.

It was feared he could miss the majority of the 2016-17 programme following the injury sustained in the 0-0 home draw with Mansfield in September last year.

However, he was back, against the odds, in the starting XI for the final few games.

Vice-captain Scott Loach guided Pools to Saturday’s 2-0 victory at Plainmoor and will lead the team out at Morecambe this weekend in the FA Cup.

Harrison therefore has no doubts over who wears the skipper’s armband though he has various options at right-back.

Liam Donnelly started there at Plainmoor but was moved to central defence with Michael Ledger switching to the number two slot.

But the on-loan Sunderland defender suffered a heavy bow to the face in the second half and came off just after the hour mark.

Kenton Richardson came on at right-back and impressed in a fine second-half display by Pools, Harrison describing the teenager as having a “great” game.