BEN Clark and Julin Cherel formed a new central defensive partnership for Hartlepool United against Oldham.

In the absence of Sam Collins and Gary Liddle, the pair lined up together for the first-time.

Andy Monkhouse returned to the side, in place of Leon McSweeney.

The game passed an early morning pitch inspection and, despite heavy snow falling a couple of miles from Victoria Park, it wasn't laying around the ground.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Flinders; Austin, Cherel, Clark, Hartley; Sweeney, Jones, Humphreys, Monkhouse; Boyd, Bjornsson. Subs: Cook (gk), McSweeney, Haslam, Fredriksen, Power, Larkin, Greulich.

OLDHAM ATHLETIC: Brill, Timar, Jacobson, Whitaker, Smalley, Gregan, Lee, Stephens, Brooke, Colbeck, Goodwin. Subs: Abbott, Furman, Taylor, Black, Ollerenshaw, Marrow, Blackman (gk) Referee: Carl Boyeson (Hull)