MIKE NEWELL will be forced into his first major decision as Hartlepool United manager today.

Since taking over the Victoria Park hot-seat, it has been almost plain sailing for Newell.

Pool may have been knocked out of the FA Cup by Southend United but otherwise it has been business as usual for the Third Division table-toppers - claiming maximum points from the two League games under Newell.

The new Pool chief has kept to his word since taking charge by changing very little on the field.

But at Rochdale this afternoon Newell knows he will have to make two changes, possibly three, as Pool bid to preserve their four- point lead at the top.

Club captain Michael Barron and midfielder Darrell Clarke are both ruled out through suspension, while influential winger Paul Smith is struggling with a thigh strain.

Newell must also decide whether to stick by the tried and trusted 4-4-2 or switch to the 3-5-2 formation that worked so well away from home last season under ex-boss Chris Turner.

But whichever formation the former Blackburn striker decides on, he is convinced the players drafted in are good enough to stake a claim for a permanent run in the side.

"It looks as if Paul Smith could be struggling," said Newell. "But we will have to wait and see.

"He has picked up a thigh strain in both of our last two matches and it doesn't seem to want to go away. But he made it through the last game and we didn't expect him to.

"Smith has been doing particularly well since I came to this club and he will be a miss.

"But what I have said to all the fringe players is that they have to be ready to take their chance, their chance will come.

"Now it looks as if three of the fringe players will have that chance and it's up to them to show me what they can do. They've had to be patient."

Newell revealed that he has been impressed by the way all his squad have worked hard to prove a point since he arrived.

And the Pool boss insists that he has been delighted to see the talent on show within his promotion-chasing squad.

"Football today, no matter what league you are in, is a squad game," said Newell, who still has striker Gordon Watson out injured.

"But as well as having a big squad you have to have a squad of players strong enough to come in and do a job when called upon.

"The reserve side is strong and that shows the quality we have here. And now some of those players will have to perform at Rochdale."

When Newell first took charge, he admitted that he did not know too much about life in the bottom division.

But he insists he has quickly adapted to life in the lower league and he has been doing his homework on today's opponents Rochdale.

Paul Simpson's side have only won one of their last 11 League games, in stark contrast to Pool, whose last Third Division defeat came at the hands of Bournemouth on October 13.

But Newell believes the Spotland clash will be no easy fixture for his side.

"We can look at the table and we know that we can go into this game with the comfort of a four-point gap at the top," said the former Tranmere reserve team boss, who knows Pool have only lost once away from home in the League this season.

"I have watched Rochdale a couple of times and they are a decent side.

"They started the season well and they have now had a bit of a hiccup.

"But I know they were difficult to beat against Bristol Rovers last week so we will have to be focused."

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