Hartlepool Utd injured duo monitored ahead of busy week

The pair, who are being worked back to fitness by club physio Ian Gallagher, missed the weekend match against Tranmere Rovers after picking up injuries the week before.

Duckworth is on the move but Cooper said he is still “touch and go” for the trip to Plymouth Argyle next Saturday.

Parnaby, meanwhile, started the 2-0 win over Shrewsbury Town last Saturday but was subbed after 39 minutes with what was initially thought to be a hamstring tweak.

Colin Cooper said it is more to do with a nerve problem but they hope to have him involved on Tuesday night away to Northampton Town.

The manager was hoping to have Parnaby back training this morning at Maiden Castle, in Durham, before the trip to Northampton.

Cooper told SportMail: “Michael is on the move, but it’s a difficult one to say when he could be ready.

“Stuart was more to do with his nerve than his hamstring, so we hope to get him back on Monday and see how he feels.

“Physically he is fine, Buster has sorted him out.

“But the difficulty with neural is that it feels like a pull, when it could be a twinge, something catching and we hope to get him involved on Tuesday.

“Michael will be touch and go for the weekend.

“He’s progressed well this week and let’s see where he is.”

Jordan Richards has been deputising for the injured duo, coming on against Shrewsbury and starting against Tranmere Rovers, where he helped the side to their second successive clean sheet.

- RICHARD MENNEAR