Hartlepool v Mansfield preview

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Hartlepool manager Ronnie Moore is expected to name the same starting line-up again for the home game against Mansfield.

Pools registered back-to-back wins for the first time this season with victory at Oxford in midweek and Moore has no new injury or suspension problems.

Moore must decide whether to stick with the same 3-5-2 formation following successive wins on the road, but on-loan Cambridge striker Ryan Bird and Jonathan Franks are expected to resume up front.

Fellow forward Scott Fenwick (ankle), defenders Stuart Parnaby (knee) and Matthew Bates (leg, plus midfielder Michael Woods (ankle) are all still out.

Rakish Bingham is a slight injury doubt for Mansfield against his former loan club.

The striker, who had a month-long stint at Pools at the beginning of 2015, climbed off the bench to score the Stags’ late winner against AFC Wimbledon but he also sustained a knock on Tuesday night.

Mansfield manager Adam Murray is hopeful of extending winger Jeffrey Monakana’s loan spell from Brighton ahead of the weekend.

Defender Michael Raynes is nearing a return to contention after a hamstring injury but Liam Hearn, Luke Jones and Matty Blair remain long-term absentees.

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Hartlepool v Mansfield preview

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Hartlepool will be without suspended midfielder Simon Walton for the home game against Mansfield.

Walton was sent off for two yellow-card offences in the weekend defeat at Oxford and serves a one-game ban, so boss Colin Cooper could hand a recall to either Antony Sweeney or Jonathan Franks.

Defender Michael Duckworth returned to the bench as an unused substitute on Saturday having recovered from the effects of a suspected broken leg and is pushing for his first start since late last month.

Midfielder Andy Monkhouse (hamstring) and defender Neil Austin (toe) are still out as Pools chase a fourth straight home league win.

Mansfield have been dealt a double injury blow ahead of the trip to Hartlepool.

Defender Ryan Tafazolli is nursing a sore foot following the goalless draw with local rivals Chesterfield on Saturday while striker Ben Hutchinson has been ruled out for the season because of persistent hamstring trouble.

However, some good news for Stags boss Paul Cox sees on-loan Sheffield United defender Darryl Westlake return to contention after missing out against the Spireites through suspension.

The fit-again Ritchie Sutton and Jake Speight provide options for Cox along with the likes of Lee Stevenson, Sam Clucas, Chris Clements, Lindon Meikle and Colin Daniel.