Hartlepool United down to 'minimum numbers' as Keith Curle confirms injury to ex-Gillingham and Luton Town defender

Lacey went down to receive lengthy treatment late in the 2-2 draw at the Armco Arena before being assisted down the tunnel with his arm wrapped in his shirt as a makeshift sling. And interim boss Curle has confirmed the 29-year-old suffered a dislocated shoulder which adds further concern to Hartlepool’s defensive options with Walsall loan defender Rollin Menayese still missing after receiving a second scan on an ankle problem.

Lacey has been a regular for Pools this season, with only goalkeeper Ben Killip featuring more often in the league, but looks set to miss the trip to Stevenage.

“He’s unavailable at the minute,” Curle confirmed.

“His shoulder popped out and went back in, or I think their medical staff put it back in straight away.

“It’s just a case of finding out if it has gone back in correctly. When there is a movement within a joint there can be disruptions so it’s about finding out what that disruption is.”

Curle added: “We’re waiting on the MRI scans which will tell us in a little more detail the extent of the damage because it can have a knock-on effect to the muscle attachments [but] I’m probably not the best person to give the full diagnosis.”

And with the former Gillingham and Luton Town man now set for a spell out, it leaves only Euan Murray as an established centre-back option ahead of the trip to Stevenage, with Curle asked if he might be close to getting his boots back on himself before admitting attack may be the best form of defence.

“If I thought the club were able to pay the value that I put on myself for a performance [I’d give it a go],” he joked.

“We’re down to minimum numbers but if I say nobody else is coming back it would be easy enough to pick my team, or identify who is coming back if I say potentially two or three are coming back.

“I’m never going to get into a situation where I’m not going to tell the truth, or create any mystique, but everyday we’re hoping for improvement on the players.

"The best form of defence is attack. It might be that we’re one defender down so we might play with one extra striker. It might be a high scoring game.”

Curle may get some reprieve on the defensive injury front for the trip to the Lamex Stadium with Brody Paterson in contention to return. The former Celtic youngster was another who missed the trip to Solihull last week but his absence was down to personal reasons as opposed to any injury concerns it has now been revealed.

Curle told The Mail: “I had a conversation with Brody and gave him the time off that was required for himself, and for his family, in what is an important time for him.”

Meanwhile, defenders David Ferguson and Jamie Sterry remain doubtful for the trip to high-flying Stevenage with midfield duo Mark Shelton and Mouhamed Niang still struggling with muscle injuries and Tom Crawford sidelined with an ankle problem.