PETER Hartley will be missing for the next three games, and Hartlepool United skipper Sam Collins has been ruled out for the next couple of weeks.

Hartley’s red card for violent conduct sees him miss games with Charlton, MK Dons and Bristol Rovers.

Collins sat out Saturday’s win over Oldham, but will have an injection this morning to clear up an Achilles problem, meaning he won’t be available until the trip to Bristol on January 23.

“Inexperience cost Peter, he has to learn from it. We will miss him three games and he has been sound and solid,’’ said Chris Turner.

“He is very enthusiastic and has been very good for us.

“In training his standards are so high, he wants to improve and do well. But it’s naivety because in Premier reserve leagues you don’t get that sort of situation which happened out there.’’ Turner, expecting to make a transfer breakthrough early this week, added: “They came into it when Hartley got sent off and then we had four minutes of mayhem.

“Julian (Cherel) did well and Ben (Clark) was back to his old self straight away, he is experienced and had responsibility to help Julian out. When you have two key players missing from the back like we did it’s a worry, but we looked solid.

“The defence was superb and the centre-backs have been outstanding all season and we had two centre-backs there untried as a pair. But for his first game, Julian did some very good things and is learning.

“To lose key players who have been outstanding all season is tough.

“Ben has been there before, but Julian is untried in English first-team football, really you don’t know what is going to happen.

“But I thought he was very good at times, he is learning.

“Ben did well alongside him, in an important role. He has been out of the team for a while, he has been patient and played a major role to help him through.’’ Turner admitted: “Will they stay for the Charlton game? I don’t know yet. Gary Liddle (hamstring injury) has a chance, but he will certainly be available for the MK Dons game.

“Sam Collins will have an injection on Monday to keep him out for two weeks, so more than likely they will play at Charlton.

“It’s wear and tear with Sam. He’s been fine right up to the Leeds game. Maybe it’s because of the state of the weather and the fact that we have trained on Astroturf of late has made it flare up.

“The left back will be missing for three games, centrebacks missing, it’s not like we are going into an easy game on Saturday either.’’