Swindon come to town as Coops makes changes

By Albatross
November 28 2003

After a disappointment at Plymouth, Hartlepool United look to get back on track with a home game against Swindon Town. Cooper looks set to ring the changes, with two signings this week; but will it be enough to send the Robins home without anything to show for their visit to the Vic?

The story of Swindon's season so far is one of good form, bad form. After ten league games, they were sitting in second spot, having lost just once - on the opening day of the season against Sheffield Wednesday. Things then deteriorated however, with October proving to be a disasterous month: just two points from six games, and defeat in the LDV to Boston. League results have picked up since though, with wins over Wycombe and Oldham, and a draw last Saturday against QPR. In the FA Cup Wycombe got revenge for the league defeat, beating them 4-1.

At the moment, Pools are ahead of Swindon by goal difference; and it's goals that need to be prevented if we're to stay ahead of them. Swindon have two potent weapons going forward: leading scorer is former Chelsea trainee Sam Parkin with 10, while Billingham-born Tommy Mooney - who apparently was talking to Jim Provett at a social event this week - has netted nine. Both will be looking to increase their tallies against Pools, and Mooney especially seems to be in determined mood having not hit the net for seven games.

Manager Andy King is without one or two influential players though: midfielder Sammy Igoe is still recovering from a fractured wrist-bone, while defender Matthew Heywood is suspended. With the highly-rated Rhys Evans in goal, and the experienced Adrian Viveash and Andy Gurney in defence, this is once again far from an easy task for Pools.

Hartlepool are of course bolstered by a couple of new faces. Man Utd youngster Danny Byrne looks a certainty to start on the right, probably at the expense of Darrell Clarke. Joel Porter may also feature, following confirmation that the international clearance that's necessary for the Aussie forward to take part has arrived in time.

Cooper has indicated that there will be changes to the side that capitulated at Plymouth, and with the squad starting to take shape he has a number of options to consider. Mickey Barron took no part in the reserves win over Darlington, and that may be a sign that he's about to step back in on the right side of defence, releasing Westwood to play in the central role he's been so impressive in this season. On the other hand, Craddock, Matty Robson, Provett and Eifion Williams were the only players Cooper thought played anything like up to form last weekend and Cooper may instead look to shake up some of the more senior players.

Up front Cooper now seems to have a multitude of options. Eifion looks the most likely to start, but after that he's got a choice of the following: Paul Robinson, Gabbiadini, Wilkinson, Richardson, and now Porter. Porter may well get his chance to impress, failing that then Paul Robinson may get an opportunity to try and recapture his early season form.

With our away form non-existant, it's important that Pools keep the home record going. Swindon however will have other ideas, and present yet another stiff test. However, it's one I think they will pass, and so I'm going for a 2-1 win, Robinson and Williams to get the goals.