Hartlepool United must deal with fixture scheduling according to manager Graeme Lee ahead of quick turnaround to face Newport County

Pools head to South Wales just three days on from their defeat to Bradford City for what will be their third game in just six days having also drawn with Leyton Orient at the Suit Direct Stadium last weekend.

The trip to Rodney Parade starts a tough run of games for Pools as they face the top three teams in League Two away from home over the next five fixtures.

Pools welcomed Newport to the Suit Direct Stadium for the reverse fixture, which also took place on a Friday, back in November but Lee concedes it is unusual to have to deal with such a heavy schedule.

“Yeah it’s frustrating,” Lee told The Mail.

“Since I’ve come in it feels like it’s just been game after game, but we have to take as much as we can [from the performance].

“It’s strange having a midweek game and then playing on Friday.

“But they’ve travelled to Carlisle so they’ll have a late one themselves and we’ll have a long journey on Thursday.

“But that’s what we’ve been dealt with, we’ll deal with it and move on. No excuses, we'll go on the pitch and give everything we can.”

Newport are hitting a fine run of form ahead of Friday’s showdown having ended Carlisle United’s four game winning run on Tuesday with a 2-1 success with James Rowberry’s side now unbeaten in seven games as they continue their charge towards League One.

Pools could be without midfielder Mark Shelton who missed Tuesday’s defeat to Bradford after picking up a hamstring injury earlier in the week while all eyes will be on whether or not Gavan Holohan is included within the squad after Lee revealed the Irishman had reported a minor calf strain which ruled him out of Tuesday’s defeat to the Bantams.

Speaking to The Mail after the defeat to Bradford Lee said: “I haven’t had chance to assess any of them. The physio will get them in and assess anyone who has any niggles or injuries.”

Another of those niggling injuries is Bryn Morris who continues his recovery from an ankle issue with Lee suggesting he is taking the on-loan Burton Albion midfielder's rehabilitation ‘day-to-day.’

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