Hartlepool United ex-Sunderland striker Jake Orrell back in training at Tenerife

Jake Orrell (left) in action at Billingham Town. Picture by Tom Collins.

The teenager felt his thigh during the first morning on Monday and was pulled out of the team sessions at L Caleta as a precaution.

Orrell, signed in the summer from Chesterfield, looked lively in his first Pools appearance at the weekend.

The 18-year-old Wearsider played for an hour during the 4-0 win at Billingham Town and impressed Craig Hignett and the coaching staff.

And the injury ruled out the forward from yesterday’s in-house practice match at the Top Training Tenerife complex.

But the Sunderland Academy product was back in action today, to the delight of Hignett.

“Jake felt his thigh in one of the first sessions of the week so we needed to take him out of training,” said Hignett.

“But thankfully it wasn’t an injury to keep him out for two or three weeks so he was able to get back out there today.

“I’m sure it was frustrating for him to miss training but the fitness staff have kept him busy.”

Following the exertions in the heat of Tenerife, especially 90 hard minutes, which had been split into three sections, Hignett and first-team coach, Curtis Fleming, opted for a less strenuous day today.

“We had a fun morning really,” Hignett told the club website.

“It was a long warm-up and some core work to kick things off and then we did a possession game to get their legs moving and their minds going.

“We finished off with a head tennis competition which is always good for a laugh and gets the heart rate going at the same time.

“The ‘oldies’ team won. They always win it. They’ve got that bit of experience I think – and at the other end of the scale the young lads got battered every game.

“After lunch and a little rest it was back on the training ground to run through some ideas for set-pieces with the lads.

“All the planning that goes in to the pre-season is being ticked-off now and Curtis and I are really happy with the way things are progressing so far.

“The time we’ve spent here have been hugely beneficial and we’ll have another productive day on Friday too.”