Hartlepool United boss Chris Turner last night told rejuvenated striker Craig Midgley: 'Keep it going.'

Midgley is back in the Pool side after injury and suspension robbed Turner of a trio of strikers and he made the most of his chance in Saturday's win over Kidderminster.

The striker netted his first goal of the season and his first in the League since January 1999 to help Pool to a 3-1 win over the League new boys.

Midgley was at the heart of Pool's impressive second-half display and is set to play as Pool go to Scunthore in the FA Cup on Saturday and Turner admitted: "I want Craig to stay in the team - I don't want to have to leave him out when everyone is available and at the moment he deserves to be in there on merit.

"He was a real threat on Saturday and that's what I want from him. We scored three and could have had a four or five.

"He deserved his goal for his workrate in training and his attitude. I have never had any problems with his attitude and effort.''

Turner is finally seeing some of his injured players returning, with skipper Micky Barron making a last-minute substitute appearance at the weekend following a spate of knee trouble.

Barron will step up his return with a run out in the reserve game at Scarborough this afternoon and he could be thrown into action at Glanford Park if Middlesbrough deny on-loan Steve Baker permission to play. Turner is ready to speak to Boro chief Bryan Robson and it is understood that Baker is keen to play.

"I was listening to Alex Ferguson before Saturday's game with Middlesbrough and he said that Boro cannot be expected to be consistent without their best players - it is the same here.

"It was good to see Micky back in the fold and be able to put him on for a few minutes -- it's great to see him coming back.

"He is not match fit yet, he hasn't played a first team game since pre-season, but I could look at the bench on Saturday and I knew that I had options to be able to change things around.

"To be honest, if we hadn't done anything after 20 minutes I was going to stick three subs on and change it to four four two -- but it turned out that I didn't have to.''

l Former Darlington and Scarborough striker Darren Roberts is ready to turn his back on full-time football.

Roberts moved to Exeter from the McCain Stadium during the summer, but has joined UniBond League side Barrow on a loan with a view to a permanent deal where he has teamed up with former Feethams' teammate Kenny Lowe, who is now in charge Holker Street.

After just three starts for Exeter, Roberts - a former Hartlepool transfer target - admitted: "I just want to start enjoying my football again. I'm 31 and I did not really want to be sitting on the Exeter bench.

"There were one or two clubs in for me, but basically I wanted to go part-time because I've had enough of the full time game to be honest.

"I was going to sign for Barrow during the summer but I decided to give it one last crack in the League which I regret a little bit now.''