Hartlepool United set for double injury boost as ex-Charlton Athletic and Kilmarnock strikers in contention for Doncaster Rovers clash

Pools return to the Suit Direct Stadium for the first of two home fixtures over the next week still searching for their first three points of the season having been cruelly denied late in the day against Colchester United last time out.

Hartley’s side conceded in the fourth minute of stoppage time in Essex as they were forced to settle for a draw, despite missing a number of key players.

Pools were without both Umerah and Ndjoli, while full-back Jamie Sterry and midfielder Callum Cooke also missed the trip to the Jobserve Community Stadium.

And things got worse for Pools on the injury front when captain Nicky Featherstone was forced off with an ankle injury early in the game.

But Hartley is hopeful of being able to welcome both of his strikers back into the squad after both have taken part in training this week.

Umerah has been dealing with an ankle injury picked up in the defeat at Leyton Orient while Ndjoli suffered a hamstring setback after his Papa Johns Trophy heroics against Harrogate Town.

“Hopefully we’ve got a couple coming back for the weekend that missed last week,” Hartley revealed at Thursday’s press conference.

“Ndjoli will join back in [Thursday] and Josh came back in yesterday. So we’re really hopeful they can be involved at some point.

“It’s just trying to manage them with the amount of games we’ve got coming up.

“Obviously Josh missed last week, he’s been out with his ankle. He only trained yesterday, so we’ve just got to be mindful and really manage the players as best as we can.”

But while Umerah and Ndjoli could be in contention for returns, the news elsewhere is not as positive for Hartley.

Pools will be without captain Featherstone, who it was revealed will be sent to see a specialist for an expert view on his ankle injury, while Sterry has not taken part in full training this week after missing the trip to Colchester with a foot injury.

“He’s got a bit of bone bruising in his foot. He’ll be touch and go for the weekend,” Hartley told The Mail.

“He’s not trained this week. He’s still feeling it. It’s in a bit of an awkward position so I’d say he’s 50-50.

“He’s just been unfortunate,” Hartley added.

“We’ve had a couple of them where it’s just been ankles or things like that. The amount of ankle injuries that we’ve had has been really freak. It’s not a lot of muscle injuries, it’s been the ankle.

“Sometimes you get them in spells where you just have a run of injuries and hopefully that can clear up over the next few weeks.”

Meanwhile, midfielder Cooke has made his return to training after a knee issue with Hartley suggesting the 25-year-old will be assessed ahead of the visit of Doncaster.

“Cookey trained yesterday,” said Hartley.

“But we’ll have to see how he is for the weekend.”