Versatile Hartlepool United attacker Joe Grey set to return on Saturday after shrugging off illness

The 20-year-old has been one of the outstanding performers under Phillips and had been set to start at the weekend before falling ill overnight.

Grey, who brought up 100 appearances for Pools earlier in the campaign, was sorely missed as both Chay Cooper and Brennan Dickenson struggled to make much of an impact.

The versatile forward, who has scored eight goals in 35 appearances this season, has shrugged off his illness and is set to return to the starting XI for Saturday's trip to Eastleigh.

And Phillips has challenged the youngster to add some much-needed pace and directness to a front line that cannot afford to be too reliant on star striker Mani Dieseruvwe.

He said: "The message from day one since I've been here has been: one, can we get pace into the team and two, we have to be a threat in behind.

"I felt we didn't really have any threat in behind at the weekend, everyone was coming to the ball.

"That's not the players' fault - the players that played in those wide areas, it's not their natural game to run in behind.

"Joe's a natural player that likes to run in behind and to have him back is a big boost for us.

"It gives us variation in what we can do and he was a miss for us.

"He's already shown what he can do and we're delighted to have him back. He just gives us a different type of option."