Up for grabs as Pools take on Swindon

By Albatross
May 19 2004

Hartlepool United need a point; Swindon Town need a point; the Bookies have lowered their odds on the draw, and Port Vale fans stand ready to accuse. But as Pools travel to the County Ground, both Managers are talking not of draws, but of victory....

While a draw will all but guarantee that both sides will get into the playoffs, a spectacle similar to West Germany v Austria in the 1982 is highly unlikely. Both managers are talking about winning the game, and there's more at stake here than just a place - the winner will also be in the position of potentially having an easier semi-final game. Additionally, many Swindon fans seem to think they'd be incapable of a 0-0 result anyway!

A quick look at their record this season reveals that they've only been involved in one scoreless game - against Port Vale. A good goals tally has been due in large part to the duo of Tommy Mooney and Sam Parkin - both with 19 in the league; however recently it's been Rory Fallon who's been among the goals with five in the last seven games and six in total. Fallon started ahead of Mooney last week, and although it may not be likely there is a chance that Swindon boss Andy King may decide to start with all three.

Recent form has not been great, and Swindon's automatic playoff hopes were ended as a result. They haven't won in three attempts at home, and have just two wins in nine games, with defeats to Oldham and QPR in their last two.

As far as Pools are concerned, our position is almost identical to Swindon's. The permutations are that if we win, we could finish as high as 4th place and would be certain of 5th - and probably a tie against Brighton; a draw would see us finish in 6th place unless Port Vale score an unlikely 7 goal victory at Rushden; and defeat would see us hoping for Vale to drop points. Realistically, Vale look dead certs to win at Nene Park, although there would be a sort of irony in a last day result there meaning we made the playoffs.....

As far as Pools are concerned, the options for Neale Cooper are to being Supporters Club Player of the Year Mickey Nelson into the defence, and to then shuffle the midfield, leave things as they are, or to play three up front and really go for it. Although Cooper is bullish about going for the win, I can't see him instructing Pools to come out all guns blazing; instead, I forsee us playing our normal game, which has after all served us very well away from home this season. Nelson will probably return to defence, possibly with Chris Westwood moving across to right back at the expense of Craddock.

Prediction time then, and with Pools having something to play for on the last day of the season for the third year in a row it's going to be a tough one. I reckon that despite all the talk on both sides of victory, it will end in a 1-1 draw, Boyd to score again, to send both teams into the playoffs. What price another meeting at Cardiff?

If we don't make it though, it will still have been a fabulous season. We've confounded every pundit, stuffed the words of many opposition fans and managers back down their throats, and had our best season for almost fifty years. What more could a Poolie ask for?