Hartlepool handed fitness boost | OneFootball

Graeme Lee should have strike duo Mark Cullen and Luke Molyneux both available for tomorrow evening’s home game with Rochdale, according to The Northern Echo.

Lee got his Pools reign off to the dream start on Saturday, inflicting an FA Cup upset at League One Lincoln City defeating them 1-0. This has setup a potentially lucrative third-round tie at home with Championship side Blackpool.

Lee a former Pools player left a coaching role in Middlesbrough’s academy to take up his first managerial position.

Pools league form has been woeful since the departure of Dave Challinor to National League Stockport County last month. They have slipped to 17th position in the table on the back of five successive defeats.

Only strugglers Oldham have lost more games than the Pools this campaign. With one away win all season, this is where the issue predominantly lies.

They will be returning to league action at Victoria Park tomorrow night, desperately needing to arrest this slump.

Mid-table Rochdale are the visitors who are in similarly poor form, having failed to win seven of their last eight matches in all competitions.

Lee will be hoping the Cup victory will give the Pools renewed impetus for the league campaign. If strike duo Mark Cullen and Luke Molyneux are both available no doubt it will enhance Pools chances of victory tomorrow.

But the club will have to closely monitor their injury issues. If the pair are missing for a significant period it could cost them dear. Strikers are hard to replace particularly for clubs with small budgets like Pools in League Two.