Sunderland loan man must relax, says Hartlepool boss

Nelson, on loan from Sunderland, excited Pools fans when he starred in the 1-1 draw with Yeovil Town on his debut. But the following two games have not gone to script for the teenage attacking talent.

Nelson was not short of effort at either Mansfield Town, where he operated in the wide role he impressed in against Yeovil, or in the central position at Luton on Tuesday night, where Pools lost 3-0 to slip just two points off the League Two drop zone.

But neither match went his way and he was subbed on the hour at Kenilworth Road. But with on-loan Plymouth forward Louis Rooney not permitted to face his parent club tomorrow at the Vic, Nelson will certainly be in contention for a starting role.

“You saw him fighting (at Luton) but he struggled a little bit,” said Pools boss Jones. “Andrew has got to relax a bit more, stop being so uptight, That’s him, he’s desperate to perform well. You see people come in and try to win the game on their own and Andrew is one of those, but he needs to relax a bit and just play.”

With Matthew Bates missing with a hamstring injury, Brad Walker is set to continue at centre-half.

Pools (probable): Fryer, Richardson, Walker, Harrison, Kavanagh, Featherstone, Woods, Thomas, Oates, Nelson, Amond.

Subs (from): Bartlett, Martin, Pollock, Wise, Hawkins, Hawkes, Alessandra, Smith