Hartlepool United set to welcome back duo for FA Cup tie with Solihull Moors as Walsall loan defender and ex-Notts County midfielder remain sidelined

Crawford has been missing since the 2-1 league defeat at Swindon Town recently where he is believed to have picked up the injury. The 23-year-old could be seen receiving treatment at the County Ground but was able to continue, and complete the full 90 minutes, before missing games with Salford City and Grimsby Town at the Suit Direct Stadium.

After initially struggling to force his way into the Hartlepool first team early in the season, the midfielder has been a regular of late but now looks set for a spell out. But while Crawford is set to miss the first round of the FA Cup, Curle is hopeful of having two of his injured players back in contention to face the National League side.

“He’s got an ankle injury,” Curle confirmed on Crawford.

“I don’t want to put a time frame on it because I don’t want to put pressure on the lad, and I think that’s fair and rounded with all the players. I know when they're not fit, and when they’re injured they’re with Michael [Harding] doing everything they can to get back as quickly as possible. And I think that goes for every player.

“So rather than me putting time frames on players, because it could be deemed as a negative if they’re not back and available, it’s easier to say when they’re not fit that they're working their socks off, and doing everything they can do, to get back fit and they will be back ready and available as soon as they can.”

Curle continued: “I think we’ve got two of those who have been out who are back and available for the squad [this week].

“Every player who wasn’t available last weekend has done everything they possibly can do to get fit for this weekend, or as soon as possible.

“As soon as possible covers short, medium and long-term because we know some players will be back sooner than others. Other players will take a little longer to get back than others.”

Pools have been dealing with a number of injuries of late with up to seven players ruled out. Rollin Menayese has been a longer term absentee after picking up an ankle injury following the win over Doncaster Rovers, with the Walsall loanee having been sent for a secondary opinion on the injury.

Jamie Sterry and Mark Shelton are struggling with calf injuries while Mouhamed Niang suffered a hamstring problem in the defeat at Swindon. Strike duo Joe Grey and Jack Hamilton could be the two Curle is referring to when suggesting he may be able to welcome players back.

Grey has been missing due to concussion protocol which is now understood to have been cleared while Hamilton has been out since coming off in the defeat to Carlisle United. The Livingston loanee has been back on the grass running which could see him in contention against Solihull while teenage star Louis Stephenson is likely to remain involved in the squad despite his sending off for the academy side in their FA youth cup defeat to Accrington Stanley.