Hartlepool United and Swindon Town laboured through ninety minutes of unspiring football and left the pitch with a point a piece. Gavin Strachan give Pools a first half lead but Rory Fallon levelled in the second half. 2006 has started with a whimper at Victoria Park.
Hartlepool United boss Martin Scott shuffled his pack for this afternoon?s home game with Swindon Town. With Neill Collins returning to Sunderland after a successful loan spell Darren Williams was handed the job of partnering Michael Nelson in the centre of the Pools defence. Gavin Strachan was handed a start in the centre of midfield as Ben Clark dropped down to the bench. Michael Maidens took the left wing slot with Chris Llewellyn and Eifion Williams continuing in attack. New signing James Walker was handed a place on the subs bench after completing his loan switch from Charlton Athletic.
Usually a Bank Holiday game sees a bumper crowd inside Victoria Park, but there?s an apathy surrounding the club at the moment and just 4169 fans turned out for this game, that figure included 164 fans who had made the long journey up from Swindon.
Pools were awarded a free kick out on the right touchline in the 6th minute of the game, the delivery was headed out to the edge of the penalty area were Michael Maidens drove straight at Swindon keeper Rhys Evans. 5 minutes later and Fallon headed straight at Dimitrious Konstantopoulos from a similar free kick awarded to the visitors. With 20 minutes on the clock Michael Nelson saw a looping header touched over the bar by the full stretched Evans, from the resulting corner kick Tony Sweeney headed into the welcoming arms of the Swindon keeper.
Jamie Cureton found himself in a one on one situation with Konstantopoulos after a mix up between Darren Williams and Michael Nelson. Thankfully the striker got the ball stuck under his feet and Nelson was able to recover and snatch it away from him. Charlie Comyn-Platt picked up the first booking of the game for dumping Michael Maidens on his backside, from the resulting free kick Gavin Strachan took advantage of the lack of a defensive wall and drove the ball low into the bottom left corner of the net, a simple goal to give Pools a welcome lead.
Just before the break Konstantopoulos had to be on his toes to palm a Charlie Comyn-Platt header round his near post. Pools received a warm round of applause as the referee brought the first half to a close, we looked pretty well in control of the game without really getting out of first gear.
The second half started with Eifion Williams shooting wide after Tony Sweeney laid the ball into his path. A minute later and Gavin Strachan curled a free kick straight into the keepers arms. Swindon made the first substitution of the game on 58 minutes as Brown was replaced by Stride.
Just before the hour mark Rory Fallon saw Konstantopoulos claim his glancing header and then Michael Nelson had a thumping effort cleared off the Swindon line as he came within a whisker of doubling Pools lead. Jamie Cureton was then replaced with Mikolanda and Darrell Clarke was replaced with new loan signing James Walker entering the ?action?. In the 70th minute Konstantopoulos had to scramble across his goal to tip a quickly taken free kick over the bar. The visitors scored the equalising goal in the 78th minute as Rory Fallon met a right wing corner with a diving header into the back of the Pools net. Martin Scott made an instant change after the goal as Gavin Strachan limped off with Ben Clark taking his place.
Pools should have regained the lead on 86 minutes, James Walker broke into the box and pulled the ball back for Tony Sweeney who side footed goal wards from the edge of the 18 yard box, however Rhys Evans saved well with his legs to deny Sweeney a goal. That was Tony Sweeney?s last action of the game as he picking up a knock trying to get a shot on target just a minute later, Lee Bullock became Pools third and final substitution. After 4 minutes of injury time the referee brought the game to a close.
We are heading nowhere fast, this afternoon I witnessed a lacklustre display from Pools as we failed to create enough decent chances to beat just about the poorest side we have seen at Victoria Park this season. The worrying thing is a few of the bottom teams are starting to pick up, Tranmere won their third game in a row today and Bristol City are now six games unbeaten and starting to score a few goals, relegation is a chilling thought but perhaps it?s one we are going to have to start considering if we don?t start winning some football matches, over to you Martin Scott.
With the January transfer window now open I?m hoping Martin Scott will be able to add some much needed experience to our forward line. What I saw of James Walker this afternoon was not enough to judge the lad but we need a 2006 version of Gordon Watson, we need someone with a bit of guile, experience, dare I say it a journeyman who can just put the ball in the back of the net until Adam Boyd and Joel Porter are back in action.
Over and out, a depressed Poolie!
Hartlepool
Konstantopoulos, M Barron, M Nelson, D Williams, R Humphreys, M Maidens, A Sweeney (90 L Bullock), G Strachan (79 B Clark), D Clarke (69 J Walker), C Llewellyn, E Williams
Subs not used: J Daly, J Provett,
Swindon
Evans, S Jenkins, S O’Hanlon, J Ifil, A Nicholas, R Shakes, S Miglioranzi (90 M Pook), C Comyn-Platt, A Brown (59 D Stroud), J Cureton (67 P Mikolanda), R Fallon
Subs not used: M Bulman, A Holgate,
Referee: N Swarbrick
Attendance: 4169 (164 Swindon fans)
