HARTLEPOOL United boss Chris Turner has told his frustrated substitutes to follow the example of Sam Shilton.

Shilton was restored to the Pool line-up after an 11-game absence at Barnet on Saturday, and capped an outstanding display with a goal in Pool's 3-1 win at Underhill.

Turner is likely to resist temptation to give his squad players an outing in tonight's LDV Vans Trophy game at Lincoln and will stick with the same team that demolished Barnet for the second time in five weeks.

After naming the same starting line-up for nine games in a row, wing back Ian Clark was sidelined with a knee injury at the weekend, opening the door for Shilton.

The former Coventry man delighted Turner with an all-action display. "Sam has been one of the five or six lads out of the team for a few weeks and has been waiting and waiting for a chance,'' said Turner.

"I've told the others in that position to stay fit and their chance will come. Sam's did and he took it.

"Even if Ian Clark was fit for the game, Sam would keep his place. He has got hold of the shirt. Now it is up to others to fight to get it off him.

"There are lads here desperate to get in the team, but they can see how well the team is doing this season and they have to wait.

"If we were losing or drawing games and they weren't getting a chance then I would expect them to be very disappointed, but it isn't like that - we are winning and it is up to them to stay tuned both mentally and physically.

"It's been difficult for some of the lads because the reserve games have been called off as well. That just makes it a bit harder for players to come in and start playing again.

"But Sam did ever so well in defence and attack.

"He was up against Darren Currie, who is Barnet's most creative player and who I think is one of the best players in the division. He is always a threat out wide and in the middle, but Sam did very well against him.''

Pool have progressed to the Northern Area quarter-finals of the competition after wins over Scunthorpe and Doncaster.

Turner said: "The competition may not be everyone's cup of tea, but it doesn't matter if it is the LDV Trophy, the Mickey Mouse Cup or whatever - we want to win every game.

"When we go out onto the pitch we go out to win - and that attitude breeds success."

That attitude has fired Turner into the reckoning for the January manager of the month award.

Blackpool have earned more points than Pool over the last six games - 15 to 14 - but Steve McMahon's side can only boast a January tally of nine points, while Pool have chalked up 11 this year with wins over Exter, Cheltenham and Barnet and draws with Carlisle and Chesterfield.

Pool (from): Williams, Westwood, Barron, Sharp, Shilton, Tinkler, Stephenson, Miller, Arnison, Henderson, Midgley, Aspin, Hollund, Sperrevik, Shilton, Fitzpatrick, Lormor, Knowles, Robinson