Preview: Hartlepool United v Southend United

By Albatross
December 27 2005

23 games gone, 23 to go - and the first of those is a home game with Southend United. There's plenty to play for, so can Hartlepool United get the victory that every fan hopes for?

The point at Barnsley was an encouraging sign, but now Pools need to follow it up with the right result at home to try and get some sort of run going. Southend of course will have other ideas.

The Shrimpers currently sit in a playoff spot, thanks mainly to a very good start to the season: while many (although not me) had them down as relegation favourites, after opening up with a solid eight points from their first six games they hit their stride in September and October by taking 25 points from a possible 30. They even topped the table briefly - but since then the wheels seem to have fallen off and their recent form is anything but impressive.

Their last win in any competition was over Barnet in the FA Cup 1st round, and in the eight games that have followed they have managed four draws and scored four goals. They went out of the FA Cup to MK Franchise, and on Boxing Day failed to beat the same opposition at Roots Hall.

However if you have someone that knows how to find the net you always have a chance, and one thing that doesn't seem to be lacking is quality up front. Freddy Eastwood scored 24 times last season after joining from Grays Athletic in October, and he's adapted well to the move up with ten goals in all competitions to be leading scorer. He's received good support too from Wayne Gray and the experienced Shaun Goater, both of whom have netted six times so far this season. The respectable number of goals scored is only half of the story though: at the other end, the defence - including the likes of Spencer Prior, Adam Barrett and Che Wilson in front of regular keeper Darryl Flahavan - has been pretty mean, and with only 24 goals conceded ranks as one of the best in the division.

Southend operate with a fairly small squad, and so it's a matter of some concern that several players will be unavailable for the game at Victoria Park. Lewis Hunt and Jay Smith have been missing for a while, and Bart Griemink - Flahavan's rival for the goalkeeper's position - is also out. Andy Edwards and Shaun Goater will also miss out, meaning that Eastwood will almost certainly be partnered by Wayne Gray. Mark Bentley is available after suspension though and looks set to be on the bench.

The news for Pools is that Tinkler and Bullock are apparently back in contention, and Darren Williams has completed his suspension. Williams may return at right back in place of Craddock, but beyond that Scott may well decide to stick with the team that dominated after the break at Oakwell.

Can Pools get the second half of the season off to a flyer? Southend are out of sorts but are still proving difficult to beat, and Eastwood and Gray - despite having failed to grab a league goal in six attempts - certainly offer a threat up front. However with Eifion Williams showing that at least one Pools player has remembered where the net is, I think we can overcome the side from Roots Hall: 1-0, Eifion to grab the only goal of the game.