Hartlepool United look to extend unbeaten run

By Albatross
August 29 2003

"It's not a grudge match" claims Mike Newell - though whether the Poolies see it the same way is open for debate! Hartlepool United travel to Luton looking to carry on our great start to the season - meanwhile, Newell's side has lost two in a row...

With the numerous problems at Kenilworth Road, not much was expected of Luton this season. The John Gurney takeover, "Manager Idol", season ticket boycott and eventual toppling of Gurney by going into administration were hardly going to help the club.

Despite this, they got off to a good start by winning their first three games of the season - at home to Rushden on the opening day, against Yeovil in the Carling Cup, and at Stockport. Since then however things seem to have been catching up with them: leading scorer Tony Thorpe left for QPR last week for a fee of £50,000 after previously saying that everyone needed to pull together, to the anger of many Hatters, and it seems one of the main reasons Steve Howard hasn't left yet is because - ironically - of his sending off on Monday in the 2-0 defeat at Brighton. Howard is reputedly being chased by several clubs, including Northampton and Sheffield Wednesday, but will almost certainly be lining up against Pools.

Thorpe's departure has allowed Newell to bring in a player; former England u20 forward Gary McSheffrey has arrived on loan from Coventry and will probably start up front alongside Howard, who has already notched twice this season. However, McSheffrey failed to prevent the Hatters from losing their two games over the Bank Holiday weekend, with a home defeat at the hands of a Grimsby side that isn't pulling up any trees preceding the Brighton game.

Howard wasn't the only member of the Luton staff to receive a red card; former Pools boss Newell also received a red after an incident. Reports on what happened vary; some people reckon he tackled a Brighton player from the sidelines, while Newell himself says that he merely stopped the ball after it went out to allow a quick throw to be taken. He will however be free to stand in his technical area again on Saturday.

Luton's attack has looked somewhat ineffective since the departure of Thorpe, but they have still managed ten goals so far this season; however, they have also conceded at least one in every game. Things aren't being helped by the lack of an experienced Goalkeeper; the summer departures have left them having to play youngster Robert Beckwith in goal - the only other keeper at the club being the even less experienced Dean Brill.

It's definately not a happy ship at Kenilworth Road at the moment; Thorpe gone, Howard apparently about to follow him, and others rumoured to be wanting away including Dean Crowe and Matthew Spring. Newell is faced with the job of lifting a team that's seen a good run dissolve into the exact opposite - something he failed to do at Hartlepool.

With Neale Cooper changing not only tactics but personnel, Newell also can't rely on his knowledge of Pools to try and get something out of Saturday's game; Nelson, Jordan, Strachan, Paul Robinson and Gabbiadini may all start, and weren't at the club at the same time as Newell, while Robson and Provett never made the first team during his tenure and even Steven Istead rarely featured in the last four months of the season.

In terms of the team news, Mickey Barron is a slight doubt, and Eifion Williams is certain to miss the match through injury. There's better news for Kevin Henderson though, and he will probably have a place on the bench and a sub appearance in the second half. David Foley, who became the youngest Pools first teamer ever against Port Vale, is back to reality as he links up with the Youth Team again. Luton may well be missing Lee Mansell and Russell Perrett, although Emmerson Boyce should return.

Newell has said that he's treating the game against Pools just like any other match, but there's few that doubt he'd love to get one over on his former employers. With Luton's problems beginning to catch up with them on the field though, it's no easy task against a Pools side that's brimming with confidence - and will see even more competition for places next week as new signing Ryan McCann links up with the squad. So I'm predicting a 2-1 victory for Pools, Ritchie Humphreys and Paul Robinson to hit the net.