CHRIS TURNER is urging his Hartlepool United players to allow Paul Smith to light up Victoria Park.

Smith has made a quick impression at Pool since Turner snapped up the former Burnley ace on a long-term contract last month.

And the Pool chief is delighted to see his latest signing torment Third Division defences.

"He is a quality player who can put some great crosses in,'' said Turner.

"The crowd are willing the players to give him the ball and get it out wide to him because they know what he can do.

"We are willing the players to give the ball to Smith and if I was a player out there I would be giving him the ball. I thought the players should have been thinking the same thing because he puts great balls in, but it was up to them to do it.''

And Turner revealed that Smith hobbled through the closing stages of Saturday's defeat by Luton as he was suffering from swollen ankles.

"We had to keep him out there,'' said Turner. "They were down to ten men and they still had to have him marked up.''

Saturday's reverse was Pool's first in six outings and Turner said: "I think we have a better team and a stronger squad than in the last two years.

"We are a lot sharper and look comfortable playing 4-4-2. We are creating a lot of chances and if we had scored in the first 20 minutes of the game we would have won.

"It is difficult for us without Gordon Watson and when he isn't scoring there is more pressure on the others.

"With all those balls dropping in and around the penalty area there was a good chance he could have got one or two on Saturday.

"He has been struggling a little bit with a hamstring strain and was rested as a precaution - hopefully he will be fit for Saturday.

"I have said many a time that we are going to be up and down. We started well on Saturday and then went sloppy. Anthony Williams has been so consistent but he made a mistake and the goal gave Luton a lift.''

"But we've just had a period of five good games - we played well against Rochdale and we played well against Luton for 75 per cent of the game - we're getting there."

* Pool hold their AGM in the Victoria Lounge this morning at 10am.

Read more about Hartlepool FC here.