WITH injuries hitting his weekend plans, Neale Cooper was yesterday given a boost by his Hartlepool United reserve side.

They powered past Preston 4-0 and a number could force their way into contention for the weekend, as Cooper's injury list shows little sign of easing.

The plan to give Hugh Robertson 90 minutes action for the first time since August was scrapped after the left-back pulled a thigh muscle in training and Eifion Williams (groin), Steven Istead (ankle) and Lewis Goburn (ankle), as well as Ben Clark (hamstring), are all major doubts for the visit of Bournemouth.

Add Matty Robson, suffering from a heavy cold, to the list and Cooper's options are limited.

But Micky Barron and Gavin Strachan, the two senior players in yesterday's side, led by example and there was also an impressive display from two-goal striker Andy Appleby.

"Hugh has tweaked a thigh muscle,'' said reserve boss and first-team coach Martin Scott. "He's been out of action for a long time and sometimes you get little setbacks like this when you are not 100 per cent.

"Ideally he would have played 90 minutes against Preston, but now we hope he will be OK for next week's game.

"Eifion hasn't done much this week, but we will look at him on Thursday and there is a chance he could be involved on Saturday. Ben Clark is the same, but with his injury being a hamstring, you have to be careful and it might be better missing another week than risking it and seeing him out for a long time.''

Strachan put Pool in front yesterday from the penalty spot, before Michael Rae made it two.

Appleby bagged the third, latching on to a deft Strachan through ball, and made it four after a neat interchange of play with Manson on the edge of the area.

"We showed excellent committment and deserved the win,'' added Scott. "The first-team players in the side played well, but the lads around them impressed.

"Preston are a good side, but we ground them down and played some good football.''

Pool: Provett, Craddock, Barron (Low 60), N Wilkinson, Brackstone, Wilkinson, Rae (Robinson 80), Strachan, Fox, Manson, Appleby.

l David Hodgson has backed striker Clyde Wijnhard to get back among the goals.

The Dutchman extended his goal drought to five games after Tuesday night's FA Cup first-round defeat at Yeovil Town.

However, Hodgson is confident the 30-year-old will re-discover the form which earned him a two-year contract with the club this month.

Wijnhard has not scored since netting the winner against Wycombe last month and Hodgson admitted: "Clyde is just not firing at this present time.

"Regardless of what people might think, he's signed a two-year contract and he's stopped playing since, but before the Yeovil game on Tuesday our team as a whole had not been performing in the previous three games.

"Once he gets his chin up, I'm sure we will see the Clyde of old. I'm a little bit surprised that he has been short of belief because he's such a confident person.

"When that confidence and ability comes back we might start creating that little bit more on the front-line. I'm not going to take this kid out of it because he's done very well for this club, got us goals and he's going to stick at it."

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