Keith Curle comments on Hartlepool United debut for Blackpool midfielder as ex-Bradford City star remains sidelined

Trusty arrived on loan from Championship side Blackpool with Curle keen to add further energy into the midfield area of his team.

Trusty featured against the U’s and was given around 75 minutes to show what he can do before being substituted.

The young midfielder started alongside captain Nicky Featherstone and Matt Dolan in what was his first senior appearance in the Football League as Pools fell to defeat following Jamie Sterry’s late own goal.

Despite the defeat, however, Trusty showed signs of encouragement for Curle who admits the teenager needs to get up to speed with League Two standard.

“He’s got to get to grips with League Two. He can handle the football,” said Curle.

“We’ve got to get him to have more forward thinking with his movement rather than playing the possession-based football where we’re trying to suck teams in.

“We need results. We need forward movement. We need to make sure we can get him on the back of somebody because when he can get on the other side of somebody, he can find a pass. But I thought he handled himself well.”

Trusty’s arrival was welcome in that Curle had been light in the midfield area ahead of transfer deadline day following the decision to allow Mark Shelton to leave the club for Oldham Athletic coupled with the injury to Callum Cooke.

Cooke has been playing through an ankle problem over the course of the last month before a decision was made to assess things - with the club also utilising the option of a second opinion.

Cooke is likely to remain out of action for a couple of weeks until the 25-year-old is sent for another scan to see whether there has been much progress made on his current rehabilitation programme.

Curle said: “He’s had a second opinion and he’s been told to continue what we’re doing with the rehab programme and to scan it in two weeks time to see what the developments are there.

“He’s up, he’s mobile, he’s walking around. Certain days, and certain movements, he can be pain free but there’s a restriction in it.”