Hartlepool United midfielder Nicky Featherstone ruled out for weeks due to injury ahead of important games against Dagenham & Redbridge, Eastleigh, Wrexham and Yeovil Town
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On Tuesday evening, the Pools’ vice-captain missed his first match since September 2019 as the side claimed a 2-0 win over Solihull Moors to return to second in the National League table.
Featherstone is also likely to miss upcoming matches against Dagenham & Redbridge, Eastleigh and potentially Yeovil Town and Wrexham as well.
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Hide AdGiving an update on the midfielder he has previously named as Pools’ ‘best player’, manager DaveChallinor told The Mail: “Feaths isn’t fine but he’ll be weeks rather than anything longer.
"He’s opened his medial ligaments. That’s the type of injury where it’s a typical blocked tackle injury, even if there is very little wrong with it you’re looking at a couple of weeks.
"He was scanned and it was no worse than we feared but it will be a frustrating month for him because he’ll be able to do quite a lot apart from play. H
“He’ll be able to do straight line running full pelt but as soon as he opens up his foot to side foot a ball it opens up that joint again.
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Hide Ad"It’s probably the most frustrating injury a footballer can have in terms of being so close to playing but the fundamentals of being able to pass the ball are what is going to hurt.
"He’s not miles away, maybe a couple of weeks or possibly sooner. We have to look at the bigger picture and we won’t rush him back and risk aggravating it further.
"We’re probably looking at Barnet at home as a realistic return date for him, anything before that would be a bonus.”
Elsewhere in the squad, Gavan Holohan is set to return from suspension this weekend but Luke Molyneux remains out for one more match.
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Hide AdMidfielder Tom Crawford is also a doubt after fracturing a bone in his hand following Tuesday night’s win.
"Crawfs has done similar to what Shelts [Mark Shelton] did previously where he’s fractured his metacarpal in his hand. He’s seeing a specialist to see if he can play or whether he needs a cast but aside from that everyone is more or less fine.”