Dons game could be a Vic cracker

Kevin Kyle is with Hartlepool until the end of the year now, and he’s likely to return to the attack for Saturday’s game against MK Dons at Victoria Park. The Scottish international didn’t play in last weekend’s FA Cup draw at Brighton, and it’s not clear yet whether Coventry will allow him to play in the replay at the Vic on Tuesday.

But Pools have at last confimed that his loan has been extended until the end of the year, and it’s unthinkable that they would go to all the trouble of signing him again and then not play him in what could turn out to be a very important game.

The Dons are doing well after winning promotion from League Two last season, and manager Roberto Di Matteo has got them playing attractive football. The same applies to goals-happy Pools, of course, and a good game is in prospect.
Kyle is likely to go straight back into the attack in place of Michael Mackay, who took his place at Brighton.
With no injury worries reported, apart from long-term absentee Willie Boland (right), Pools are likely to be unchanged otherwise.
Pools’ four-game unbeaten run came to an end with their 1-0 defeat at Leyton Orient, but the 3-3 cup draw at Brighton showed they have not forgotten how to score goals and how to fight back after handing their opponents what appear to be match-winning leads.
The Dons will really test Pools’s recent improved form, but with Kyle back Danny Wilson’s side is perfectly capable of returning to winning ways.
The Dons have scored a lot of goals themselves, especially away from home, but Pools can match most teams in their scoring output and with Kyle, Joel Porter and James Brown in the team, they are always likely to worry opposing defences both in the air and on the ground.
There's no obvious explanation so far of why Pools didn't announce the extended Kyle deal until two days after the Mail and the Northern echo did. Perhaps they forgot.