Omar Bogle provides a fitness update with the former Portsmouth and Cardiff City striker set to lead the line for Hartlepool United at Crawley Town

Bogle celebrated his first goal for the club on Tuesday night when slotting beyond Barrow goalkeeper Paul Farman to help seal a 3-1 victory for Graeme Lee’s side.

And the 29-year-old, who signed a two-and-a-half-year-deal with the club in January, believes his game will go from strength-to-strength the more his match sharpness improves.

Bogle has been limited in his game time this season having been outcast at Doncaster Rovers but he is hoping he can revitalise his career at the Suit Direct Stadium.

“As time goes on and the fitter I get, and the sharper I get, my game will come together again,” said Bogle.

“My general fitness is good because I kept myself in good shape and in good condition. I worked hard even though I hadn't been playing this season.

“But it’s just that match sharpness you can’t really replicate anywhere else, that just comes through the games really but I’m hoping in two or three games I’m going to be where I need to be.

“That transition when you’re not playing games much is hard. You can always work hard in training and do extras, but to replicate the match fitness and sharpness you can’t do it unless you’re playing games.”

Bogle is expected to lead the line for Lee’s side once more this afternoon while fellow January recruit Marcus Carver edges towards his return to full fitness.

Luke Molyeux will hope to continue his fine form after a man of the match display in midweek while Nicky Featherstone serves the final match of his three game suspension.

Bryn Morris and Joe White both gave excellent accounts of themselves in the Pools midfield in the win over Barrow as Lee admits players are fighting for their place in his side.

“There’s a few of the lads reported a little bit of stiffness. Obviously the game is enough, but the travelling on top of that does catch up. So we’re assessing two or three and managing them,” said Lee.

“It’s going to be difficult for me, I know that, but it’s brilliant in the sense that there’s lads in there fighting and there’s quality whether they’re in the team or out the team.”

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