Antony Sweeney - goal

By Clarence Rode
February 9 2008

One thing you can't accuse Hartlepool United of in this see-saw season is being able to hold on to a lead in away games. They threw away another potentially match-winning lead with two giveaway goals at Southend, but manager Danny Wilson was more angry with the red card shown to new defender Sam Collins, and promised an appeal against the sending-off.

Playing only his second game for Pools after his £75,000 switch from Hull City, Collins (right) was sent off for allegedly using his elbow in a challenge with Lee Barnard.
Collins denies the charge, and Wilson said: "I didn't see a red card offence, and neither did the referee. It was the linesman who thought he saw something.
"I'll have a good look at the video, and I hope the ref does as well. But we'll be appealing against the sending-off."
The score was level at 1-1 when Collins went, but from the free-kick Nick Bailey scored what turned out to be the winner.
With Godwin Antwi coming in at right-back, Antony Sweeney moved forward to right midfield in place of the injured James Brown and he gave Pools a ninth-minujte lead when  he was at the far post to force home a left-wing cross from Alan Thompson. But minutes before Collins was sent off, Southend levelled with a long-range shot from Alan McCormack.
"We were quite comfortable for an hour,"said Wilson. "We were looking for a second and they were about to go when all of a sudden they got a goal out of nothing, then minutes later Sam was sent off and they were in front," said Wilson.
"Even after we went down to ten men, the lads competed really well. We defended brilliantly at tkimes and it will be a major blow if Sam Collins is suspended becauyse of what happened here, because he says he didn't use his elbow and I belive him."