Preview: Hartlepool United v Tranmere Rovers

By Albatross
January 13 2006

It seems a long time since Hartlepool United fans could celebrate a victory; and with the side now in the thick of a relegation battle three points would be very welcome against Tranmere Rovers.

After last season's epic encounter in the playoffs, both clubs have struggled to live up to expectations - but there are signs that Brian Little is finally getting his Tranmere side to perform in recent weeks.

A mixed start to the season was followed by a long winless run in September and October that had fans calling for Little's head. Having lost or released a number of players - including Ryan Taylor to Wigan, Iain Hume to Leicester, Paul Hall to Chesterfield and Eugene Dadi to Nottingham Forest - it took Rovers a while to mesh together. The key signing so far has been Chris Greenacre - the former Mansfield man may have had a lean time of it at Stoke, but has found his feet at Prenton Park with more goals already this season (14) than he netted in three years with the Potters. Another new arrival - Delroy Facey - has provided good support with seven strikes, but goals have been a bit thin on the ground elsewhere. Calvin Zola has come back into the side after injury though, bagging a couple of goals recently.

In complete contrast to Pools though, their form over the last few games has been pretty good. Unbeaten in five with three wins, they've pulled themselves out of the relegation places and up to 14th in the table. With a fully-fit squad to call on (although John Achterberg has only just returned from injury and is unlikely to feature), Rovers will be hopeful of earning a measure of revenge for last year's playoff defeat.

In many ways they could hardly be playing Pools at a better time. The pressure on Martin Scott from the fans is increasing with every bad result; and rumours abound of fallings-out between Pools and the media. The latest rumour is that one of the contributors to the Programme has been told his services aren't required after signing an anti-Scott petition. The atmosphere at the Vic is a mixture of the funereal and the nasty, and if the crowd reaches the 4000 mark in any case I'll be surprised. Injuries are still disrupting the squad, with Boyd, Porter, Butler, Tinkler and Robertson still out - although there's hope that Robson and Sweeney will be fit. James Walker and Gerard Nash are both in the running to start the game, but trying to second-guess Scott's team selection is nigh on impossible - no-one seriously thought Darrell Clarke would be dropped completely last week for example.

Can Pools get a vital three points against the team from the Wirral? Sad to say I'm struggling to see us beating anyone at the moment, home or away. A draw may be the best we can hope for, so I'll go for 1-1 with Walker to score his first senior goal - and even then I have a horrible feeling that I'm being over-optimistic. Pools may pull off a win of course - but I just can't see it.