BRIAN Healy will this afternoon be handed a chance to impress at Hartlepool United.

The former Spennymoor midfielder is available on a free transfer from Torquay and has joined up for a trial with Pool.

He will start this afternoon's reserve game with Carlisle at Seaham.

Reserve coach Colin West will also include Anth Lormor, Ian Clark and Anthony Ormerod after the trio were left out of Saturday's Division Three win over the Cumbrians.

Out of favour striker Ritchie Humphreys will also start as he battles to win back his first team spot. West, however, will be missing Gordon Simms who is away on under-21 international duty with Northern Ireland.

Meanwhile, Pool chief Chris Turner has refused to rule Mark Tinkler out of the clash with his former club York at Victoria Park a week on Saturday.

The midfielder, whose place could be taken by Adam Boyd for Friday's trip to Rushden, was replaced at the weekend after suffering a stomach strain.

l Darlington may give their French trialist a run-out in tonight's reserve game at home to Stockport (7pm) as Gary Bennett searches to add competition to his squad's forward line.

The favoured partnership of Danny Mellanby and Barry Conlon has reaped eight goals this season but reserve strikers Kirk Jackson, Clint Marcelle and Adam Marsh have yet to make an impact in the first team, prompting Bennett to look for another forward.

Irish Under-21 international Michael Reddy was a Bennett target, but the Sunderland striker joined Hull City on loan two weeks ago and has since told Peter Reid he is happy to stay in Humberside for a longer period.

Bennett won't name the trialist but he is the latest in a long line of players to have crossed the channel, seeking a chance to win a contract at Feethams.

Only Alex Jeannin has done enough to be offered a deal - he signed a three-year contract in April - but since the beginning of Bennett's tenure, Lehit Zeghdeane, Christophe Raymond, Abu Tangara, Abraham Keita and Jean-Michel Cau have all tried and failed to impress.

Injury victims Neil Maddison, Phil Brumwell, David Brightwell and Adam Reed could all feature tonight

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