AS I SEEN IT
RUNNING MONKEY finally sees the end of the run of home defeats
I said at the start of today that it would be a desperate situation if Pools went ten games at home without a win it would be a real showing up. Even more than the past nine, double figures are serious. Especially when another bottom-rung team were the visitors, and match number 13 at home added that little more spice, despite them playing two quality loan players in Ormerod and Bogdanovic from Blackpool. Not sure about Bogdan but Ormerod had destroyed us in the past but he is thirty-five now. As it turned out Bogdan was more of a threat.
I was surprised at the changes made by Neale Cooper - on current form Sweeney and Austin still in and Sam replacing Humps; Boyd and Luscombe both victims of the last stand. We looked a little light upfront with the youngster Luke James supported by Sweeney who does not function properly down the wing; he is far more effective through the middle.
I was confident that Dale manager Chris Beech, the ex Poolie, was bound to do us a favour today. The opening ten minutes was a bit scrappy but Pools were already looking a lot better then the previous weeks. Young Luke James is a breath of fresh air in this side, at such a tender age of just seventeen the kid has all the tricks and pace to make him a star and not just at our level. He jinks and turns so quick the Dale centre half spent all game trying to smother him just to slow him down; he won us loads of free kicks. He can run with the ball he can cross a ball and he can strike a ball - all the attributes we have lacked in recent games. Pools were for once holding their own and looked impressive going forward. Although playing well, the one thing still lacking was that killer instinct from someone up front to put the ball away. Monky went close on a couple of occasions, but I get the impression he is stuck up front and has not adjusted. Cooper commented on him when he first came, a big lad with good feet, which we know, but never a striker.
We were creating chances something else that has been lacking and James was the instigator of most of them. His running and passing, taking men on down the line was a dream to watch, and there was plenty of product at the end of the run. Monky, Baldwin, Hartley, Liddle all going close from James efforts. How long is it since we could report that, and this was just the first half. "some of the strikers sitting out want to have a good look at this lad's approach because if he can keep this up they will be sat out a long time"
James himself was attacking continuously and some of the strikers sitting out want to have a good look at this lad's approach because if he can keep this up they will be sat out a long time.
James taking all the corners was spot on with his delivery, how many times in a report have I said we wasted possession time after time through poor delivery of dead ball situations and this “KID” comes on and shows them how it should be done.
Monky connected with a James corner at the end of the half but he effort was cleared on the line by a defender. Someone asked me at half time, how long is it since Pools were not getting beat at half time. I had no idea but I was feeling confident about the second half. James won us another free kick on the edge of the box at the start, and an Aussie free kick rebounded to Murray who snatched his shot wide.
Dale were looking dangerous on the break and Pools in the past often succumbed to early pressure but the defending had certainly tightened up to what had been served up in the previous home games. Cooper had done a great job this week because we are now a team and fighting for each other and the difference was fantastic to watch. We were not scared of holding the ball which is what we saw a lot of especially at home - a confident team looking to break and doing just that.
Brownie came on and instantly set about the Dale defenders, dragging players out wide and he was the one that benefitted from the great cross from James, rising with the huddle and nodding the ball down for a “GOAL” yes G O A L to Pools, AT HOME TOO. Poolies chanting "We are winning at home, you must be ****!"
Remember Max Boyce the Welsh rugger comedian whose catch phrase was “I know because I was there”? Well I had a Max Boyce moment today seeing one of the best goals I can remember at the Vic: a seventeen year old kid picked up the ball on the outside of the box jinked and turned and hit the sweetest shot you will ever see into the top far corner giving the keeper no chance whatsoever. It was reminiscent of the "MAIDENS" goal and the "FOLEY" goal but better. Turns out this kid now holds the record for the youngest ever player to score a goal for Pools beating Icey’s record.
Two - nil to the Hartlepool. A fully deserved three points and hopefully a springboard to lift the side out of the home form malaise we have had to endure. One man and his boy made it possible.
Welcome back the messiah.