Hartlepool v Walsall preview

Team news ahead of Saturday's League One clash between Hartlepool United and Walsall at Victoria Park.

Hartlepool will be without midfielder Antony Sweeney for their opening home game of the season. Sweeney, Pools' leading goalscorer last season, was forced out in the closing stages of normal time in the Carling Cup penalty shootout defeat to Sheffield United in midweek with a groin strain. First-team coach Mick Wadsworth has plenty of options to cover for Sweeney, with Paul Murray and summer signing Nathan Luscombe in the reckoning for a place in the starting line-up. Wadsworth will still be without strike pair James Brown and Colin Larkin, who have yet to feature for Pools this season due to respective ankle injuries. Larkin returned to full training this week but is not ready, while another forward, James Poole, is hoping to make his first start of the season. Walsall will be without suspended midfielder Adam Chambers. The 30-year-old summer signing was shown a straight red card for a dangerous challenge just 12 minutes into Tuesday's 3-0 Carling Cup defeat to Middlesbrough and begins a three-match ban. Aside from the absence of Chambers, Saddlers boss Dean Smith has a fully-fit squad to choose from as they look to build on their opening-day win against Leyton Orient. Striker Will Grigg missed the Middlesbrough defeat as he was away on international duty with Northern Ireland Under-21s and is likely to come straight back into the starting line-up. That could mean Ryan Jarvis, who made his full debut against Middlesbrough in Grigg's place, will have to make do with a spot on the bench.