CHRIS TURNER is expecting his injured trio to be fit and available for Saturday’s FA Cup tie with Kettering Town.

James Brown was left behind in the North-East at the weekend as Pools headed for Brighton, for treatment on a knee injury.

But two of his midfielders were forced out of the action at the Withdean Stadium.

Leon McSweeney, back in the starting line-up on the right wing in place of Brown, was taken off before the interval, while Ritchie Jones’ goal in first-half injury time was his last contribution to the proceedings.

Turner said: “Leon had a sore spot under his foot in training so we thought it best to take him off – but what a substitution!”

That substitute was Colin Larkin, who combined with Boyd to provide Jones with the chance to score his first goal of the season.

Jones failed to appear for the second-half with Turner explaining: “Richie felt a bit of a strain and the physio advised me not risk him.

“He could maybe have played the second half because he was outstanding in the first-but if things had gone wrong he could have been missing for four or five weeks “ After three clean sheets in a row, Pools defending was more akin to last season’s and Turner said: “After scoring three goals away you expect to win – equally after conceding three you expect to lose, so I think a draw was a fair result after a very entertaining game.

“I was delighted with the spirit of the team to come back after going behind and although they put us under a lot of pressure we had chances to win the game as well.”