John Askey again targets National League after Hartlepool United are dealt double injury blow

Hartlepool received a massive blow with the news that both defender Dan Dodds and midfielder Anthony Mancini will miss the rest of the season due to injuries picked up over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Pools played twice in the space of less than 48 hours with fixtures against AFC Fylde and Chesterfield which saw both Dodds and Mancini suffer considerable injuries.

Dodds went down late in Hartlepool’s 3-1 win over Fylde at the Suit Direct Stadium from a heavy challenge before Mancini pulled up early in the defeat at Chesterfield less than 48 hours after that game against Fylde.

The club confirmed Dodds suffered an ACL injury with the 22-year-old likely to be out for around a year while Mancini suffered a severe hamstring injury which will keep him out of action for a minimum of six months meaning the Frenchman, too, is set to miss the rest of the season.

"It looks as though they’ll both be out for the season so it’s a massive blow for the football club,” confirmed Askey.

"With Dan it’s his ACL. It was a foul on him late in the game and his ankle slipped and that’s caused his knee to go one way and his thigh to go the other and that's caused his ACL.

“And with Anthony it’s his hamstring, but it’s come away so I can’t see it being sooner than six months which is virtually the season, so it’s not good news because both players had given the club a massive lift with the way that we play.”

And, having done so in the wake of the defeat at Chesterfield, Askey has pointed the finger at the National League once more, particularly for the injury to Mancini, due to the scheduling of two fixtures in such close proximity.

“That’s the reason why it’s happened. There’s not only me who has spoken about it, there’s other managers have as well,” said Askey.

"It’s ridiculous you have to play again within less than 48 hours and that's the reason why what’s happened has happened.

"You should be able to sue the league for what’s happened really. You talk about taking care of players, the league aren’t doing that.

"In this day in age you shouldn’t be playing within less than two days of a game.”

Dodds has been a regular for Askey since he was appointed manager back in February after the defender arrived for an undisclosed fee from Middlesbrough in the January transfer window.

Meanwhile Mancini, who was named the club’s player of the month for August, has been the name on everyone’s lips at Hartlepool this summer after signing a permanent deal with the club on the back of a successful trial period in pre-season.

Askey must now search for a solution to the gaps left in his squad by the absence of both Dodds and Mancini but the Hartlepool boss’ immediate thoughts are with both injured players who are set to miss such a lengthy period.

"It’s devastating because both of them are at that age now where they're coming good and we’d probably see the best of them,” said Askey.

"Anthony has come in and he’s given everybody a lift, the whole football club, so to lose him is a big blow and Doddsy as well, there’s not many players like him at any level really who can travel with the ball as well from a centre-half position.

"So it’s something we’ll have to change a little bit with how we play, but we still have to be positive when we go out there.

He added: “It’s very difficult to know what to say to them really other than that we’re there to support them and to make sure they get the best treatment available and that they’re looked after.

"They’re both young enough that they've got good careers ahead of them so when they do come back I’m sure there’ll be plenty more years in them left to play for Hartlepool.”

Pools will almost certainly have to dip into the market to bring in reinforcements, with Askey having already been keen to add to his squad before the news of both Dodds and Mancini’s injuries.

But the Hartlepool boss has also suggested it provides an opportunity for other players within his squad to step up and make the position their own over the course of the season with the likes of Edon Pruti, Matt Dolan and Kieran Burton likely to be vying for a spot in defence and both Kieran Wallace and Oliver Finney looking to cement a regular starting spot in midfield.

"I'm really disappointed for the two of them. They’re both young lads who have started the season off really well and they looked as though they were really enjoying it, the supporters were enjoying watching them and I was enjoying watching them,” said Askey.

"They're a big part of the team so to lose them at this stage of the season is a big blow. But it gives other people opportunities and we just have to work that little bit harder and it’s up to other people to come in and step up to the mark now.

“We have to just do it for them now as such and hopefully achieve something this season.”