Hartlepool United chairman Raj Singh questions the club's current injury situation as pressure mounts

Just over two weeks into the new season and Pools have already faced what a lot of sides would over the course of the whole campaign.

The opening five games of the 2019-20 National League season have seen 10 different players miss at least one match due to injury so far

Luke Molyneux (leg), Luke Williams (knee), Josh Hawkes (hamstring) and Kenton Richardson will likely remain sidelined for the coming games with Nicke Kabamba, Myles Anderson and Aaron Cunningham fighting to be back in contention.

Ryan Donaldson and Peter Kioso have missed matches due to respective calf strains but have since returned to the fray.

It’s been a big test of Hartlepool’s squad in the early stages of the season and a frustrating one for Singh, who has backed manager Craig Hignett over the summer.

One thing club owners hate is wasting money so Singh has rightly questioned why so many of the Pools players have been sidelined so far.

“I know that fans have been asking questions regarding the fact so many players have been injured so early in the season,” he said.

“I have asked the same questions to the manager, the coaching staff and the medical team. Everything that has happened is being looked into in great detail.

“We need everybody performing, including the coaching and the medical staff, and doing their very best for the club.”

The United chairman also implied he may have to get ruthless if the situation drops below the high standards set at the start of the season.

“It’s my job and Mark Maguire’s job to ensure that is what is happening and to make sure that aren’t carrying any dead wood because we simply can’t afford to do that at our level, or in fact at any level,” Singh added in his official matchday programme column.

“It’s my job to keep everyone at the club on their toes and make absolutely sure that we continue to move in the right direction.”