By Jon Colman

Last updated at 12:18, Tuesday, 01 December 2009

Hartlepool's encouraging season has been checked with back-to-back defeats in recent weeks and they will face Carlisle tonight without three of their most influential players.

Midfielder Ritchie Jones must sit out the derby clash through suspension while frontmen Denis Behan and Colin Larkin are injured.

The triple blow has given boss Chris Turner a headache as he bids to return the Monkey Hangers to winning ways after successive defeats to Huddersfield and Southampton.

Pools are now 12th in League One after an encouraging first four months of the campaign and the manager will be aiming to arrest their dip quickly.

“We will be missing three big players, but we have players biting to get back in and they need to come in and perform,” said Turner.

“It is up to them to produce.”

Turner’s official title at Victoria Park is director of sport, but he has been manager in all but name after taking the reins from Danny Wilson last season.

Highly-rated James Brown and striker Adam Boyd – in his second spell with Pools – will provide the main goal threats tonight while former non-league ace Billy Greulich could also be handed a role in attack.

Former Stockport man Leon McSweeney and long-serving midfielder Antony Sweeney are also pushing for recalls.

Probable starting XI: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Hartley, Monkhouse, Sweeney, Liddle, Humphreys, Brown, Boyd, Greulich.

First published at 11:21, Tuesday, 01 December 2009
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk