Gary L - outstanding

By Charlie Summerbell
August 9 2009

A goalless draw at MK Dons is a good way to start a new League One season for Hartlepool United, and the performance gives Chris Turner something to build on in the rest of the season. The most pleasing aspect on a hot afternoon was the way the defence performed to keep a clean sheet, putting the memories of so many poor away performances last season behind them.

It was the sort of result Michael Nelson's Norwich and Danny Wilson's Swindon would have loved.
Keeper Scot Flinders looked good, and made a brilliant late save to make sure of a point, while Gary Liddle and Sam Collins did well as a central defensive pairing. Peter Hartley was steady at left-back, and on the right Steve Haslam did well as stand-in for Neil Austin, who was not risked on the right because of his groin strain.
In midfield Jon-Andre Fredriksen had an outstanding debut, while Antony Sweeney did well alongside him in the middle.
The big surprise was up front, where Leon McSweeney operated alongside Denis Behan, Turner deciding not to risk James Brown yet and that Adam Boyd is not yet back to something like his best. Both were on the bench, Brown going on for Richie Jones midway through the second half.
It was a battling point in difficult conditions, but it wasn’t all a back-to-the-wall effort, as Pools had their chances just as much as the Dons did.
All in all it has to go down as a good start to the season against a side tipped by the “experts” to do a lot better than Pools this season.
It doesn’t mean Pools are going to reach the play-offs, but it does suggest that they might do better than some people expected – and Brown and Boyd are still to come.
Meanwhile, let's all spare a thought for "big club" Norwich and "ambitious" Swindon.