Injury update for Hartlepool United involving ex-Mansfield Town and Bradford City midfielders

Hartlepool have suffered a number of huge injury blows throughout the opening months of the campaign with several key players ruled out for lengthy periods.

Dan Dodds and Anthony Mancini were both set to miss the rest of the campaign following injuries sustained in August while Cooke was expected to miss a number of months with an ankle injury.

But John Askey has also had to deal with several niggling injuries within his squad – the likes of Wallace, Oliver Finney and Alex Lacey having all been in and out of the side at various stages this season.

Wallace has been missing since the win over Dagenham & Redbridge last month after picking up a leg injury which Askey revealed fears, initially, over a possible stress fracture.

And although Wallace is set to miss out again for Hartlepool’s trip to face Aldershot Town back on National League duty, the midfielder could make a return to full fitness next week with Pools away to FC Halifax Town before a home fixture with Rochdale.

Cooke, meanwhile, remains on track to return early from an ankle injury picked up in training.

The former Bradford City man turned an ankle at the end of a training session ahead of the defeat to Woking with suggestions the 26-year-old could be out until the New Year.

But The Mail exclusively revealed that both Cooke and French midfielder Mancini are in line for quick returns.

Cooke is slated to be back in contention for Askey’s side as early as next month while Mancini could be considered once again by Christmas.

But Askey has suggested his side need to forget about the potential boost that would follow from those injured players returning and instead focus on getting back on track in the National League after suffering an afternoon to forget in the FA Cup against Chester.

"Kieran is back running, same with Callum Cooke – he’s back running, too,” Askey confirmed to BBC Radio Tees.

"Hopefully with Kieran he’ll be back next week. With Callum, he’s recovered quicker than we thought so we’re hoping by about the middle of November he should be back with us.

"It’s a boost, but there’s a lot of games from now until then and players have got to get match fit again. So you can’t expect too much of these players when they first come back.

"We’ve got to forget about the likes of Callum and the others. The players who are playing have got to make sure that we win games and if you get given a shirt then keep it.”

Askey will hope to have Finney and loan defender Charlie Seaman available for the trip to Aldershot after both were left out of the squad to face Chester.

Askey, himself, will also return to full duty and be back in the Hartlepool dugout having served a touchline ban last weekend.