Preview: Gillingham v Hartlepool United

By Albatross
November 18 2005

Hartlepool United have the opportunity for a quick double when they take on Gillingham. It's not that long since our victory over them at the Vic - but things seem to be getting even worse for the Medway club.

It seems that the game at Priestfield is something of a side issue for the Gills this week, with matters off the pitch reaching crisis point. Neale Cooper has resigned, and Chairman Scally has had to go cap in hand to the bank to avoid their debts - apparently not much short of £10million - from sending them into administration. Their current position is such that they can ill afford the 10 point deduction administration would bring, however with urgent cost-saving measures likely to include trimming a squad that already looks thin on quality it's already looking like a second successive relegation battle for the Kent club.

Currently 22nd, they have won one out of their last six league games, and two weeks ago were one of the highest-profile casualties in the FA Cup, losing to Burscough. Their only game since that humiliation saw them lose 2-0 at Walsall - they are still without an away win this season. They even needed extra time to overcome Crawley Town in the LDV, giving some indication of the struggles they are facing.

Cooper found he had a poor hand when it came to making signings, with the players leaving proving to be hard to replace on a restricted budget. Darius Henderson left for a sizable fee, but that's been swallowed up by the debts and according to rumour also in paying off the contract of Iwan Roberts. Ronnie Jepson, assistant to Cooper and before him Stan Ternent, is the man that's been handed the poison chalice.

Team news for the Gills is mixed. On-loan Paul Smith is available again having had to sit out the game with Walsall, the side he's on loan from; Ian Cox and Brent Sancho are also in contention after being away on International duty last week. Jason Brown's recovered from injury, but there are still serious doubts over leading scorer Darren Byfield: the former Sunderland man hasn't played since the end of September, and although he is getting closer to fitness by rights shouldn't be considered for the game. However, so bad are the Gills problems up front that Jepson is talking about playing him if at all possible, depsite him only having started training with the rest of the squad again during the week. Michael Flynn meanwhile is suspended.

The news for Pools is getting better. Boyd, Porter, Brown and Robson are all still recovering from surgery, but Barron and Robertson are both firmly in the first team reckoning again - I wouldn't be surprised if Mickey makes the bench, while Robertson's 90 minutes and free kick goal for the reserves gives hope that the Scot may finally be putting his injury worries of the last 12 months or more behind him. Bullock looks like he might be shaking off the knock that kept him out of the defeat against Brentford, and the arrival of Dean McDonald adds to our options. It looks like the Ipswich loanee will start, though whether it will be up front or on the right remains to be seen.

So can Pools do the double? Gillingham's players have been underperforming, they have a new man in charge (albeit one who knows the club well) and off the pitch matters are providing a distraction. Teams go one of two ways at this point - either they bond together and develop a mentality of "us against the world", or they simply fall apart. Either way, I think Pools will prove to be too strong - 1-0, with Butler getting on the scoresheet.