Hartlepool United striker Vadaine Oliver set to see a consultant as Pools bid to determine extent of knee injury
Hartlepool United's interim manager Nicky Featherstone has revealed that Vadaine Oliver is set to see a consultant regarding a knee injury that has kept him out of the last three matches.
The 34-year-old, who signed for Pools in September following a spell as a free agent, had been enjoying a fine start to life at Victoria Park, scoring four times in his first eight appearances.
Having missed almost all of pre-season after being released by Bradford, where he found the net six times in 64 matches, Oliver joined Pools as then-manager Simon Grayson looked to add some much-needed threat and presence to his forward line.
Pools, who lost the prolific Mani Dieseruvwe to Rochdale over the summer as well as the likes of Joe Grey, Reyes Cleary and Anthony Mancini, moved to sign Alex Reid, fresh from scoring 17 goals in 32 games during a successful spell on loan at Wealdstone last term, and the experienced Danny Johnson.
However, while both showed positive signs in pre-season - Reid scored on his debut moments after his introduction from the bench, while Johnson found the net in four consecutive games - Pools have found it difficult to replace Dieseruvwe's goals so far this term.
Whereas Dieseruvwe has scored 12 times in 17 appearances for Dale already this season, Reid has four goals in 14 matches - albeit the experienced frontman was sidelined for six weeks with a hamstring injury - while Johnson has endured a torrid start to the campaign and is still without a goal in his first 19 Pools games.
Oliver, then, had established himself as a big player for Pools and had scored four times in his last five outings prior to being struck down by a knee injury.
While Featherstone, who has now been in temporary charge for more than a month and has overseen a run of five matches unbeaten, has been reluctant to go into too much detailed regarding how long the frontman is set to be out for, he told the Red Radio he was set to meet with a consultant as Pools look to get to the bottom of the issue.
"Vadaine's had scan results," he said.
"We're waiting on him to see a consultant pretty soon."