Hartlepool United dealt more injury woe as Bradford City defender is set for spell out

Askey has suggested both of Hartlepool’s right-back options will be missing when they head to the LNER Community Stadium with Hendrie set to be out of action until the New Year with a thigh problem.

The Bradford City loanee was forced off late in the defeat to Rochdale last month with the issue, whilst Doncaster Rovers man Seaman has been missing since coming off in the 2-1 defeat at Halifax.

Seaman, it’s understood, has been dealing with a stomach problem for a number of weeks but neither he, nor Hendrie, look likely to feature against York as Pools continue their search for a first three points since early October.

"We’ve got two right-backs out,” Askey confirmed to BBC Radio Tees.

"We’ve just learned that Luke Hendrie won’t be available until January so that’s another big miss.

"It’s been the two midfield players [Anthony Mancini and Callum Cooke] and defenders [we’ve had problems with], hence why we have to keep swapping and changing the team.

"We’re looking hard to try and get players in but at this time of the season it’s not the easiest thing to do, getting players in who are better than what we’ve got.

"I’ve never come across it before where so many have got injured, and they’re all different types of injuries,” Askey added.

"If everyone is getting a hamstring injury or a calf problem then you know there’s something wrong in training but every injury we’ve had has been different.

"Like the one we’ve had with Luke, it appears that he had an injury last December that’s caused the injury he got in the game, but it’s the injury that he got in December that we’re having to treat and why he’s going to be out for so long.”

With Hendrie out, and Seaman also likely to miss out against York, it leaves Askey short of options in the right-back area after Sunderland’s Zak Johnson started on the right of a back four in last weekend’s draw with Ebbsfleet.

Askey took the decision to recall defender Kieran Burton from his loan spell with Darlington recently with Alex Lacey also set to be out until around the New Year and Harrogate Town loanee Joe Mattock being forced off with an injury against Ebbsfleet, with captain David Ferguson also suspended against his former club.

"David has played all the games so far this season, I think he’s played every game that I’ve been in charge of,” said Askey.

"But it gives Brody a chance to come in and stake his claim and see how he does. He did well in pre-season, he’s trained really well and when he’s been called upon he’s done a good job for us, so it will be interesting to see how he does.”

Meanwhile, at the other end of the field, Josh Umerah continues to recover from an ankle problem while Joe Grey is recovering from an illness which kept him out against Ebbsfleet and Mitch Hancox is ineligible to feature against his parent club as the problems continue to mount up for Askey’s side.