Pools home to West Brom in Carling Cup
Danny Wilson - pleased
By Clarence Rode
August 14 2008
Hartlepool have been handed another home tie in the second round of the Carling Cup, this time against Tony Mowbay's premiership new boys West Brom. But there are important League One games to be played before that tie, starting with this weekend's visit to Tranmere Rovers as Pools take their impressive start to the season on the road.
The West Brom game is set to be played at the Vic on Tuesday August 26, and will be a repeat of the same draw five years ago, when the Baggies (is that a daft nickname, or what?) won 2-1.
They'll be expected to do the same again this time, but ex-Smoggie Tony Mowbray knows it won't be easy.
Meanwhile, Pools are hoping Andy Monkholuse (right) and Richie Jones, who missed the midweek first round win over Scunthorpe through injury, will be it enough to be included in the squad for Saturday's game at Prenton Park.
Neither were serious injuries and both sould be all right, and even though David Foley, Alan Power and Matty Robson did well againt Scunthorpe, Jones, Monky and Willie Boland (rested on Tuesday) will probably return.
Pools' encouraging start to the season, with two good wins over teams which played in the Championship last season, has pleased boss Wilson as well as the fans.
But he's determined to make sure the players keep their feet on the ground and after two good home performances, a trip to a tranmere side without a win in their opening two games will provide a stiff test of the team's potential.
Supporters appear to have been taken by surprise by the team's excellent form in their two games so far, but if they can come back from tranmere with a result, the size of the Vic crowd will surely row for the next game, at home to Stockport a week on Saturday, three days before the WBA game.
Meanwhile, League two Rotherham are being linked with Pools striker Richard Barker, who has been on the bench for both Pools games so far.
With strikers thin on the ground at the Vic, Wilson will hopefully not let him go without having a replacement lined up.
Tut tut lol. let you orft. All the best for the fixture.
The Lords My Shepherd.
The future is bright. The future is Stripes.
www.wbabaggies.co.uk
I still say they were silly to let King Kev go to Brum. But, as usual, money talks.
The Lords My Shepherd.
The future is bright. The future is Stripes.
www.wbabaggies.co.uk