Paul Hartley lists Hartlepool United injury concerns ahead of Billingham Synthonia friendly with ex-Newcastle United and Kilmarnock defenders doubts

Pools were set to head to Paisley earlier this week before the club cancelled the trip upon their return from Portugal.

Hartley’s side underwent an intense training camp in the Algarve, including a fixture with Hibernian, but were subject to a number of injuries in the process which forced Hartley to cancel the friendly with the Saints so as not to risk his squad further.

Hartley admits he is short of numbers within his squad, something which wasn’t helped by midfielder Tom Crawford's injury in the defeat to Hibs.

But the Pools boss has revealed the injury to Crawford has cleared up with the 23-year-old able to take part in training immediately.

“He’s fine. He actually trained the next day so it wasn’t too bad, just a little knock on his hand,” Hartley told The Mail.

“We feared the worst at first, but it was positive news when he went into hospital.”

Crawford was not the only one to sustain an injury in the defeat to Hibs with full-back Jamie Sterry also being forced off late in the game while striker Marcus Carver did not travel with the squad.

“He was ill, so we didn’t want to take anybody who was unwell. But he’s back training now,” Hartley revealed on Carver.

“Euan Murray has picked up a slight hamstring - I don’t think he’s too far away. Sterry has picked up a little knock.

“Joe Grey picked up something but he’s back training so we’ve got a couple of knocks just now.

“The squad is quite light in terms of numbers in training but they’re training hard and they’re training well.”

Carver’s return to fitness should at least allow Hartley to start Saturday’s fixture at Billingham Synthonia with a recognised striker, after the responsibility fell on the shoulders of Crawford and midfielder Mark Shelton against Hibs recently.

“There was nobody else,” said Hartley.

“We didn’t have any other strikers in the building so we felt we had to use somebody in that false nine position playing off the front.

“Obviously we want to have number nines in the building who will help us.”