Hartlepool United travel to Mansfield Town on New Years Day with one eye on the automatic promotion places. With Mk Dons hosting Swindon Town and Lincoln facing a tricky trip to inform Macclesfield Town, Danny Wilson will be keen for his side to take advantage of any dropped points byout the teams above us.
This game will of course see Pools proud seven game cleen sheet run serverly tested by a player we are rumoured to be trying to sign, Richie Barker.
Vital Quotes:
New Mansfield Town boss Billy Dearden commented:
‘Obviously no one comes into a club as manager and immediately pushes their leading scorer out. But if a deal has already been done then there won’t be much I can do about it. I don’t know what the situation is and I will be speaking with Richie. I want him here. But if he did go I would look to bring in a replacement with the same experience. You can’t just keep going with the kids.’
Speaking ahead of what looks like his final game for Pools on loan Hull City striker Darryl Duffy told the clubs official website:
‘It has been great. The Club was in a false league position when I first got here, in around sixteenth position.
‘But after the first couple of games I realised that this is a Club that should be up there near the top of the division.
‘We have put a fantastic run on, a Club record but I don’t think that’s anything to be surprised by. There is a great squad here who love to play football and as long as you have that, that’s always a good thing.’
Mansfield Town Team News:
The home side are likely to line up exactly as they did against Accrington on Saturday afternoon in a game which was cut short due to a waterlogged pitch. Once time Pool target Matt Hamshaw is missing through injury, I understand Richie Barker is also starting to feel a little unwell tonight!
Player to watch: Richie Barker
If he plays it’s fair to say the Barker to Pools deal is far from done and we’ll all be able to have a close look at a player who we’ve rumoured to have been after for a good couple of months now. If he’s absent then I’d expect to have the move confirmed before Pools next game away at Shrewsbury.
Hartlepool United Team News:
Hartlepool United boss Danny Wilson has big striker Jon Daly available after the clubs top scorer sat out the win over Peterborough due to a one game suspension.
No Michael Nelson again as he is still recovering from a knee injury, long term absentees Joel Porter, Michael Proctor and Mark Tinkler are still out of the reckoning.
Player to watch: Darryl Duffy
Duffy plays what is likely to be his last game and is sure to want to go out with a bang. So far his two month loan stay with Pools has seen him play nine times and score five goals. Pools will no doubt be trying to at the bare minimum continue Duffy’s temporary stay at Victoria Park, although we may be priced out of a permanent move.
Current Form:
Mansfield 2-0 Swindon
Mansfield 0-2 Bury
Doncaster 2-0 Mansfield
Barnet 2-1 Mansfield
Darlington 0-2 Mansfield
Bristol R 0-2 Hartlepool
Hartlepool 1-0 Rochdale
Bury 0-1 Hartlepool
Hartlepool 2-0 Grimsby
Hartlepool 1-0 Peterborough
Match Prediction:
The law of averages states we must be near a draw or defeat, no team can go on winning without a blip somewhere down the line. Despite Mansfield lowly league position I don’t expect this to be an easy game for Pools. You just know if Barker players he’s got to be odds on to score.
I think Pools may have to settle for a draw here, Mansfield Town 1 Hartlepool United 1.
Next Fixtures:
Shrewsbury vs Hartlepool 06-01-2007
Hartlepool vs Milton Keynes 13-01-2007
Wrexham vs Hartlepool 20-01-2007
Don’t think Dearden will give you owt to worry about.
Come on Pools, another three points would be superb.