Mick W - hopeful

By Charlie Summerbell
September 22 2010

It’s possibly a little too early to mention the c-word in relation to Hartlepool United just yet. But if they don’t get at least four points from the forthcoming two home games, you can bet that it will be bandied about as much as it was last season.

Pools have got off to a slow start – nothing new there, of course – but if they don’t get two good results against Walsall and Carlisle on Saturday and Tuesday it will be crisis time again at Victoria Park.
Last weekend’s goalless draw at Brentford wasn’t a bad result and at least it ended a three-game losing streak.
But it could so easily have been a win, Gary Liddle hitting a post and Antony Sweeney spurning a great late chance to turn one point into three.
Now it’s time to turn the age-old what might-have-been into solid results and climb away from the relegation zone which has almost become a home from home for Pools over the last two seasons.
Walsall, like Pools no great shakes so far this season, visit the Vic on Saturday, and third-top Carlisle follow them on Tuesday night.
Two home games in four days present caretaker boss Mick Wadsworth and his players with a great opportunity to put their early-season shaky form behind them and make something of the season.
If they can get four or perhaps even six points from the two games, hopes will be high that they might be able to throw off the habit of struggling season after season, but if they fail this weekend, we are in for a long, hard winter.
Wadsworth says his squad has what it takes to be comfortable this season, and while the team does appear to have more about it tactically than it did last season, results have not backed up the caretaker’s theory.
While chairman Ken Hodcroft continues to take an inordinate length of time to replace Chris Turner, even if it’s with Wadsworth,  Pools don’t have the luxury of time.
They need results NOW.