Leon M - scorer

By Charlie Summerbell
September 9 2009

Six games played, seven points won and in mid-table – not a bad League One start for Hartlepool United’s new-look team. But it could have been so much better. Unbeaten and no goals conceded away, Pools have lost all three of their home games – and that’s a situation they MUST put right against Wycombe Wanderers this weekend.

With the memories of last weekend’s great 3-0 win at Oldham still fresh, Pools should go into the game full of confidence against a side beaten in all three of their away games so far.
Three good goals from James Brown, Leon McSweeney and that Shuggy-style belter from Denis Behan (right) rewarded Pools for a great team effort at Oldham, but if their season is not to be as frustrating as 2008-09, Pools MUST start winning at the Vic  – they can obviously play away, but at the Vic three defeats suggest they aren’t so hot at home.

But they were beaten by the better side against Charlton, should have got something out of the game against Bristol Rovers, and let themselves down against Norwich.
It’s a situation they can’t allow to continue – they have already lost too many home games for comfort and they have some catching up to do.
The Wycombe game is followed by a visit to Colchester the following weekend, then Pools are back home against Walsall before ending their League One month with a midweek game away to Stockport.
There are unlikely to be many changes against Wycombe, and that underlines a problem Chris Turner perhaps didn’t expect to have so early in the season – keeping players happy when they are not in the team.
The subs bench at Oldham was full of players who would have walked into last season’s starting team, and there are others who will be feeling put out because they are not in the side.
Competition for places is just what the manager wants, of course, but it isn’t always easy to keep a good squad happy.

At least it’s better than keeping everybody happy – on and off the pitch – when the team is losing.