Crystal Palace for Pools in Carling Cup Round 2

By Albatross
August 25 2004

It's not quite the draw Neale Cooper and the club wanted, but Hartlepool United's reward for beating Macclesfield is a Carling Cup tie away to Crystal Palace in the second round. Meanwhile, Adam Boyd continues to attract attention.

After winning with a somewhat experimental lineup against Macclesfield, Pools will have an away tie against Premiership side Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. We have of course faced Palace in this competition before; we played them in the second round in 1991, earning a creditable 1-1 draw at the Vic before being thumped 6-1 in the return leg. The following season saw us earn an FA Cup upset victory though, and it may be that Andy Saville Penalty that Pools fans may prefer to remember in terms of cup meetings between the two sides - or even a Bob Newton-inspired victory back in 1978.

Palace are of course newly-promoted to the Premiership again this season, and so far have just a single point - against Norwich - and two home defeats on their record. The game against Pools will probably take place on Tuesday 21st September, and only then will we find out if Iain Dowie will decide to field a weakened side on the grounds that top level survival is much more important. If he does, Pools will be hoping to take advantage.

Meanwhile the Hartlepool Mail (or is it the Sunderland Echo?) has reported that Adam Boyd is being carefully watched by scouts from the Stadium of Light, who were apparently in attendance against Macclesfield. They will have seen him score one and set another up, and in addition to good performances on the opening day of the season and also in the televised win over Huddersfield the speculation is that Mick McCarthy may be considering a bid.

While the Mackems may be on the look out for a forward, their more immediate problem would seem to be in defence - seven conceded in four league games, four of them against promoted sides, is not a good advert. Marcus Stewart has been doing OK at the other end, and while the Mail seems to be concerned about the fact that Boyd is out of contract at the end of the season, Pools would want to see a considerable sum of money for the player that is without doubt our hottest property at the moment. This Summer's transfer activity for Sunderland indicates that they may not be willing or able to give us the sort of fee Pools would consider suitable.