Big Ben - late pen

By Clarence Rode
February 25 2009

A controversial last-minute penalty - what a change to report that this time it was in Hartlepool United's favour as they picked up three priceless points with an away win against Danny Wilson's Swindon Town. After Saturday's horror show against Leyton Orient, the result eas a massive relief for caretaker boss Chris Turner. He had demanded an improvement at Swindon, and he got it as Baby David (right) was judged to have been fouled on the edge of the area and Ben Clark (yep, THAT Ben Clark) gratfully converted the penalty.
Swindon's former Pools boss Danny Wilson said there was no aggression in the high challenge on Foley, so it shouldnlt have been a pen, but an indirect free-kick.
Danbnby ... that's bollocks. If it was a foul, as high challenges invariably are, it was a pen.
After the Orient game, Turner was keen to underline the inconsistency which has cost Pools so dearly this season, and it was there again at Swindon as Pools put the flop behind them with a much better display.
But, as usual with Pools, there was a cloud over the result as on-loan Daniel Nardiello picked up a groin injury which could leave him out of action for up to sic weeks.
With top scorner Joel Pioter missing the game with a groin injury of his own and Rune Lange possibly needing surgery on a shoulder injury, Turner's raft of forward signings in the last few weeks appears to have been a bit of a futile exercise as inujuries cause so much havoc.
But at least the League One table makes much more relaxing reading now with Pools seven points ahead of fourth bottom Brighton. They defended well in a drab sort of game, but nobody at Pools will be complaining about that.
It was a result they desperateloy needed - we'll worry about the standard of performance another time.
If they can get a result at Colchester on Saturday, the Orient shambles will be completely forgotten.