Hartlepool United injury update from manager Dave Challinor as two remain sidelined as expected

Luke Williams on a charge forward during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Solihull Moors at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Tuesday 5th November 2019. (Credit: Tom Banks | Shutter Press)

Attacking duo Luke Williams and Luke Molyneux have been sidelined for the majority of the season so far and are the only set absentees for this weekend’s match at Victoria Park.

Molyneux hasn’t featured at all this season due to a foot injury picked up at York City during pre-season.

Williams has made four substitute appearances in total but is currently nursing a hamstring injury picked up during last week’s 4-1 win at Yeovil Town. The former Middlesbrough man is still awaiting his first start since signing for Hartlepool last summer.

“We’re in decent nick,” Challinor revealed.

“Both the Lukes are still not ready. Luke Molyneux will hopefully be back on the grass and progressing day by day.

“Luke Williams won’t be back for the weekend but it might be Tuesday and he should be fine by certainly the following weekend.

“It’s important with those two given how long they’ve been out that we do as much as possible because we need to be careful with them and we need to make sure we get them back, they’re back properly and for the long term.

“Aside from them, everyone is in good shape and there’s lots of competition in the squad because we’re pretty full on numbers. The players who are in there now have done great and done enough to keep their shirts and I don’t envisage that changing certainly before the weekend.”