Hartlepool United caretaker manager Antony Sweeney provides fitness update as Myles Anderson returns to light training following concussion

Myles Anderson has returned to training (photo: Frank Reid).

Anderson suffered the injury at Chorley back in August and will continue to follow the strict FA protocol before being made available for selection again.

Luke Williams (knee) and Luke Molyneux (foot) remain sidelined for Saturday’s FA Cup fourth qualifying round match at home to Brackley Town as they continue their rehabilitation.

“We’ve got a fully fit squad in terms of what we’ve had for the previous games,” Sweeney confirmed.

“Everyone who is available is chomping at the bit. I’ve got 11 lads who started on Saturday who justify starting again but also the three lads who came on that came on and changed the game so are knocking on the door.

“Luke Williams is joining in with parts of our training sessions and he’s came through them absolutely fine, touch wood.

“It’s still early days for him and he’s still not in the full sessions but speaking to the medical staff, they’re happy with the progress he’s making which is good.

“Myles Anderson is back in the building today but he’s got to adhere to the FA training protocol for concussions so it’ll be a staged reintroduction and he’ll have to pass one stage before he goes onto the next and if he doesn’t pass that then he’ll have to do it again.

“So that’s a bit more up in the air at the minute but hopefully he’ll have no problems over the next week or so and after that, he’ll be back in full training.”

Young goalkeeper Zach Hemming has been struggling with a back injury in recent weeks and returned to parent club Middlesbrough for treatment.

He’s now returned to train with Pools but won’t be available for selection on Saturday.

“Ross [Turnbull, goalkeeping coach] has been and spoke to Middlesbrough about Zach,” added Sweeney.

“He’s back in training with us but it’s still early for him and with the FA Cup, Middlesbrough don’t want him to be cup-tied so he won’t be available for Saturday which is fine because it doesn’t leave us in any worse a situation than we have been.”