Fleetwood Town loanee Macauley Southam-Hales set to return to Hartlepool United starting line-up for trip to Sutton United

Macauley Southam-Hales of Hartlepool United in action with Notts County's Dion Kelly-Evans during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Notts County at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 22nd February 2020. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)

Southam-Hales missed Saturday’s defeat at home to Ebbsfleet United after being knocked unconscious in last Tuesday’s 1-0 win at Solihull Moors. But the Welsh right-back is expected to come back into the starting line-up for the trip to Sutton United this weekend.

“Macca will be available,” Challinor revealed.

“It’s a tough one because you’re ruled by protocol and even though he trained on Thursday and Friday last week, we couldn’t play him [against Ebbsfleet].

“He joined with the young lads on Monday and then trained on Tuesday with the lads properly and will again for the rest of the week so he’ll be fine.

“It’s great to have him back because he’s been great since he came in and as much as you can change things, the balance that he gives us down that side and the energy and ability he has to get forward is massively important and a big part of how we want to play.

“Otherwise we’re as we were. As you’d expect, there are a few little bits and bobs which were the same before the weekend’s game. I don’t envisage anyone will be unavailable who was on Saturday.

“We’ll see how things develop and the big thing is about putting a plan in place to try and win at Sutton.”

Elsewhere, Luke James (groin), Fraser Kerr (back), Michael Raynes (thigh), Luke Williams (hamstring) and Adam Bale (knee) are all fighting to return before the end of the season.