PROMOTION-SEEKING Hartlepool United boss Chris Turner believes no side will storm ahead in the race for the Third Division title.

The eventual champions in both of the last two seasons - Plymouth and Brighton - clinched a place in the Second Division with weeks to spare.

But Turner, whose side are third favourites to finish ahead of the rest, is convinced this campaign will go right down to the wire.

Rushden & Diamonds, currently in first place, and Hull City, struggling in 19th, are being hotly-tipped.

However the Pool chief, whose side are in third place after three matches, said: "I don't think there is a team in the third division that is going to romp the League.

"It's going to be a tight one, and I think it will be a team that can put a good run of wins together who will pull clear.

"Take Hull City. A million pounds they've spent, and they have just lost the last two games.

"But Hull over the course of 46 games might become the champions because it's early days."

After Pool's 2-0 home defeat to Macclesfield on Saturday, Turner is refusing to consider League standings so early in the season.

They hit top-spot after claiming victories in both of their first two matches. But following the Silkmen's success in the North-East, Pool dropped two places.

But Turner, whose side play Torquay this Saturday and Hull on Bank Holiday Monday, said: "I don't bother about the League table to be honest.

"I turned interviews down from national newspapers and a TV channel last week because all they want to ask about is top of the league.

"The League doesn't take shape until about seven or eight games in.

"That's when you can start to say things like they're top and they're bottom - but now we've only played three games.

"On the opening day of the new season we were better than Carlisle, today they're equal to us after their win at Lincoln."

* Lincoln City will file a report to the Football Association after an alleged brawl between Carlisle chairman John Courtenay, striker Richie Foran and Lincoln stewards during the Cumbrians' controversial 1-0 win in the Nationwide Third Division on Saturday.

Tempers ran high at Sincil Bank as East Yorkshire referee Paul Robinson sent off four players, awarded two hotly-disputed penalties and provoked what Lincoln chairman Rob Bradley described as ''mischief'' in the directors' box.

Read more about Hartlepool here.