Hartlepool United injury update as ex-Bradford City man to miss Colchester United clash

Cooke has not featured since the FA Cup third round defeat to Stoke City earlier this month having made 28 appearances so far this season.

Hartlepool boss Keith Curle recently revealed Cooke has been struggling with the issue for ‘five or six weeks’ before a decision was made to resolve the matter.

“He’s got some sort of bone bruising on his ankle that in certain movements it can be bearable, but then if he does a certain movement it can halt him in his tracks and it can take a bit of time for him to recover,” said Curle.

“He’s had it, and has been playing on with it, for about five or six weeks when it first came up. But that shows the attitude of the lad. He wants to be out there and wants to be playing.

“He’s up, he’s mobile, he’s walking around. Certain days, and certain movements, he can be pain free but there’s a restriction in it that we need to get to the bottom of as quickly as possible to get it healed.”

Curle suggested the club required a second opinion on the problem in order to seek the best possible rehabilitation protocol and the Pools boss has now confirmed the club remain on the right track with the 25-year-old and that he will be sent for another scan in two weeks time.

Curle said: “He’s had a second opinion and he’s been told to continue what we’re doing with the rehab programme and to scan it in two weeks time to see what the developments are there.”

Hartlepool completed the loan signing of Blackpool midfielder Tayt Trusty ahead of the visit of Colchester, with the 19-year-old available for selection, with Cooke now likely to be out of action until mid-February as things stand.

Curle will also be without defender Rollin Menayese with the Walsall loanee set to miss the rest of the season after picking up an ankle injury in the defeat at Carlisle United.