2003/4 Season Review: April - Playoffs ahoy?

Super Striker!
By Albatross
June 14 2004

Hartlepool United's push to the playoffs surged in April thanks to a run of five wins - and a glut of goals from a player we'd almost let go not long before. Adam Boyd finally started to deliver on his undoubted potential, and Pools were the benificiaries.

Pools started the month with injury concerns looking likely to make their mark. Barron had already missed a couple of games - Craddock taking his place; Nelson had also picked up an injury; and Strachan's fitness was still in some doubt.

The opening game of the month - at Brighton - therefore saw something of a reshuffle. Tinkler dropped back to take Nelson's place, and Tony Sweeney made his first start of the season. We went down 2-0 at the Withdean - but it could have been so much different. Pools were awarded a penalty when goalkeeper Roberts took Boyd down but somehow avoided a red card to save Strachan's penalty. Knight then put Brighton ahead before Iwelumo grabbed a second during stoppage time as Pools pushed forward.

Next up then was the visit of Luton, and a real topsy-turvey game. Pools went behind to a goal that was almost inevitably scored by Stevie Howard, levelled thanks to Sweeney's first goal for the club, and then fell behind again on the half hour; Boyd equalised after half time before Pools took the lead thanks to a thunderous shot from Hugh Robertson - not a free kick either! The lead didn't last long, and with both sides pushing for a winner Pools were awarded a penalty in the last minute after Eifion Williams was felled. After a couple of misses, Boyd took on the responsibility and gave Pools a 4-3 lead that they just about held onto.

With that win under our belts, we knew that victory over Bournemouth on the Saturday could see us in a playoff spot; and Boyd duly obliged, netting another brace to give us three points and take his tally to an incredible seven in five games.

Meanwhile our Youth Team had been taking part in the Dallas Cup, and as we prepared for the game on Easter Monday against Wrexham, news came through that we had won the final in convincing fashion. The reserves were also on the brink of silverware - so that just left the first team....

While Wrexham gave Pools a few problems early on, Pools soon took control of the game at the Racecourse. The lead came through Darrell Clarke five minutes before half time; and Danns bagged his first for the club to leave Pools cruising. Barrett did pull one back, but it was too late - and now we'd won three on a row. A playoff spot was in our grasp - could we dare to believe?

With Notts County our next opponents at home we found that people within the club certainly thought we could. Ticket stubs for this game and our final home match against Plymouth were to be kept, we were told, to provide priority for tickets for any playoff fixtures. Certainly on the pitch we were doing the business - the Magpies were lambs to the slaughter as Pools chalked up a 4-0 win that could easily have been a lot more. Boyd again grabbed two goals - nine in seven now, had we really been about to let him go to Boston?

One of the best results of the month for Pools though came in a game we didn't even play in. Luton and Bournemouth drew their match in hand at Kenilworth Road, effectively putting them out of the picture; only Port Vale now stood a realistic chance of denying us a remarkable playoff place.

A meeting with Rushden was to finish the month off, and against a side struggling and with it's best players already gone, there was always likely to be one result. Sure enough, Pools won 2-0 - and there was the quite wonderful sight of one of our least popular opponents, Billy Turley, handing the second goal on a plate to Boyd.

Only Tranmere could boast a better record than Pools over the month; and our five consecutive wins marked us out as the team in form in the top six. We were in 6th place, had two games left, and Port Vale were five points behind us; no-one could deny us, surely?