Preview: Wrexham v Hartlepool United

By Albatross
December 17 2004

Hartlepool United's latest attempt to break their losing streak away from Victoria Park sees them travel to North Wales to take on troubled Wrexham. Will we finally take something out of an away league game for the first time since August?

Wrexham's situation at the moment is a desperate one, both on and off the pitch. In a move that will be depressingly familiar to anyone that has followed the York City situation, club owner Alex Hamilton has seperated the ground and the football team, leaving the club close to death and his company with a piece of prime real estate. With the club having entered administration, a ten point deduction has seen them plummet into the relegation places.

In some ways then you can argue that Wrexham are in a false position: without the deduction (which they are appealing against by the way) they'd be comfotable in mid-table, five points behind Pools. Instead, they are next to bottom and four points from safety. However the deduction isn't their only problem - goals have not been in plentiful supply for the North Wales club, with only just over a goal a game scored and a goal difference of -9. Their home form is well below average, mainly due to having drawn as many as they've won - although just two home defeats are on their record, against Sheffield Wednesday and Bristol City.

Recent form has been mixed though. After a horrible time in November that included four successive league defeats, they looked to have turned the corner with a win over Huddersfield - only to crash out of the FA Cup to Scunthorpe. A win over Stockport followed, but last weekend saw them defeated heavily at MK Dons, and a significant improvement will be needed.

Their cause hasn't been helped by injuries to several key players. Jim Whitley is hoping to be fit to face Pools after ten weeks out with a thigh muscle tear, Andy Dibble has spent time on the sidelines but will face Pools, Brian Carey has had to have one knee operation already this season and looks like he may need another, the influential Carlos Edwards is out until January at least, and Danny Williams and Dean Bennett will also miss out against Pools. Craig Morgan though should return, just in time to replace Shaun Pejic who is suspended. They have also lost keeper Matt Baker to MK Dons this week, meaning that the main backup to the 39 year old Dibble is youth teamer Michael Jones.

Hector Sam is leading scorer for the Red Dragons with seven (four in the league) - with defender Dennis Lawrence on six (four league). However the player with most league goals for them is former Spurs forward Chris Armstrong with five - and he's been on the bench recently. Look out too for Chris Llewellyn, who has also notched five times this season although only two of those have come in league games.

As far as the team news for Pools is concerned, things are looking up a little. Darrell Clarke may be involved - although he could possibly do with another reserve game - and with Ben Clark expected to shake off a cold, and Gavin Strachan also fit despite having to be replaced last weekend, Cooper has as close to a full strength squad to select from as he has had at any time this season. Under the circumstances, it would be a surprise to see too many changes from the side that beat Stockport, although it's possible that Eifion Williams could start on the right wing and Clarke may just make it onto the bench. Whether Michael Nelson will appear is another matter - the defender seems to be out of favour at the moment, and it looks like he will only be in contention if Clark isn't fit.

Predicting anything other than defeat for Pools away from the Vic at the moment looks to be a triumph of hope over experience. Yet we're hardly a bad side, and it's inconceivable that this run can continue indefinately. Wrexham are missing some key players and are hardly prolific scorers - and Pools go into this game with Boyd hopefully fired up after signing a new deal, Porter looking in great form, and even Chris Westwood in the form of his life in front of goal. Add on the threat Hugh Robertson provides at set pieces, and you'd think we're capable of sticking at least one goal in the net. We look like we could be playing Wrexham at just the right time, so I'll stick my neck out once more and predict a 2-1 win for Pools, Boyd and the prolific Chris Westwood to score.