CHRIS Turner has called his side's physical strength into question as he aims to steer a route to the play-offs.

Tuesday's 3-0 defeat at Cheltenham left the Pool boss frustrated at his players' inability to turn possession into goals - and more importantly the lack of a phsyical prescence that proved costly against a well-drilled home side.

"It was a good performance but some players didn't look up to playing a strong side,'' he admitted. "The game went how I expected in terms of what strengths they have and what we have.

"I know what is required, but I cannot say it in the press. To win a game like that we need a team that is able to handle it, but on Tuesday night we didn't.

"The strength factor against a team like Cheltenham comes into play. They have a lot of players over six foot.

"They are good at getting balls into the box, but for 40 minutes we were the better team and we were hoping to come in at the break at 0-0. If we had done that we would have had a real chance, but going two goals down like that makes it very difficult.''

Turner, who takes his side to Kidderminster tomorrow, added: "We didn't deserve to lose like that. But we had all the ball we wanted for 40 minutes. We had to make the keeper work more and get the ball into the box.

"Now we have to play as well as we did at Cheltenham but cut out the elementary mistakes. We were caught out with one cross from the byline and then certain players stopped for a free kick.

"Everyone stood still apart from Julian Alsop and he was there to head in.''

Leading scorer Gordon Watson should be available for Saturday's game and is likely to be back in the starting line-up for the first time since the 1-1 draw at Hull on Febraury 5.

* Pool's reserves went down 4-2 to home to Chesterfield yesterday, despite taking a two-goal lead in the opening ten minutes through Kevin Henderson and Paul Arnison (penalty).

* Norwich are looking at the possibility of bringing in a loan goalkeeper to ease their crisis.

Number one Robert Green sustained a hamstring injury during Tuesday's 2-1 defeat at Watford, which has ruled him out for ten days. It means Paul Crichton is poised to start against Burnley on Saturday on his return to the club he left in the summer, with youth team keeper Arran Lee-Barrett on the substitutes' bench.

With Andy Roberts and Trevor Benjamin already on loan at Carrow Road, boss Nigel Worthington is unable to bring in another player on a short-term basis.