The Fishy - Grimsby Town FC

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The Dreaded Place
The Dreaded Place

Hartlepool v Grimsby Preview

By: Alex Green
Date: 06/10/2009

8-1. Would that be considered a result for us on Tuesday? "Well we kept it down to single figures and Conlon only punched 3 people!"

Home > 2009-2010 Season > Previews > Hartlepool (h)


I apologise for the short nature of the preview I was distracted by the brilliant Mega Shark Vs Giant Octopus. So like our probable involvement in this competition I’ll keep it short and sweet.

But firstly I want you to do something for me. Think back, close your eyes if it helps and dig in the vaults of your memory banks for that special memory. That one exceptional piece of history you’ve designated extraordinary enough to hold on too. Whether it be from when you were a child, man, woman, girl or kangaroo. It’s a memory we all have at that precise moment you realised why you’re here, why you needed to follow this club, why out of all the other hundreds of clubs available to you that this one club was the one for you. A memory that makes you puff your chest out with pride and stand a thousand feet tall. It could be your first match the first roar, first win, first giant killing, or standing together with pride in defeat. Whatever it is grab it now tighter then ever that one memory will help you through this terrible start to the season and remember the guy sat in front, next to and behind you has a similar memory he or she cherishes too. Well it’s helped me cause memories like that will come around again someday soon I promise.

Till then lets deal with the shite were up against. The Barnet defeat has been filed under repressed memory for the time being as we await a trip to Hartlepool. Those lucky enough to go last time have already upped their medication in preparation to prevent some sort of Vietnam flashback from occurring.

Overview

Their History

Founder members of the Durham FA as West Hartlepool in 1881. Hartlepool’s present form was created back in 1908 after the rugby club who occupied Victoria Park folded making way for the football team. Their first game was a 6-0 win over Newcastle United!

Last Season Was

How optimistic must Hartlepool fans have felt at the end of August. 4 wins from 6 and 2 defeats 1 in the last minute against Stockport. 1 of the wins was even against Premier League West Brom in the Carling Cup. Then the rest of the season happened. One win in September was countered by a good October but then a gradual decline which finally resulted in Danny Wilson leaving in December. Meant The Pool were doomed to a relegation battle and one they avoided on the very last day of the season. Also worth mentioning was their impressive 2-0 home win against Premiership applecart up setters Stoke in the FA CUP.

This Season Is

They’re not exactly uprooting trees but what would we give for a season of midtable obscurity. Hartlepool have meandered through their league fixtures.

Highpoint: Beating Oldham 3-0 away.
Low point: Losing 2-0 at home to Norwich

Yet again Hartlepool have exceeded expectation in the cup which doesn’t bode well for ourselves a 1-0 win away at Coventry in the League Cup and a narrow extra time defeat to Burnley show what were up against. As if we didn’t already know it would be an uphill struggle.

Famous Players

Quite a few actually Newcastle keeper Steve Harper for a modern day one if we can count a Championship goalkeeper? The ever brilliant Peter Beardsley, Norwegian international Jan Ove Pedersen and local boy Michael Brown currently plying his trade at Portsmouth but previously graced the shirts of WIgan, Fulham, Spurs, Sheff Utd and Man City.

Key Player

It was a toss up between Adam Boyd who has scored both and all of Hartlepools goals in cup competitions so far this season and leading goal scorer Denis Behan. I decided on the latter. The 25 year old Irish forward landed this year on our shores after a long and fruitful career at Cork City; his 31 goals in 171 matches in the FAI league won Behan a contract with Hartlepool in June of this year. The signing was meant to be one of a double for The Monkey Hangars with the midfielder Colin Healy joining Behan at the Victoria ground but signed for struggling Ipswich at the last minute instead. Some what of a dead ball specialist Behin’s second for The Pool was a superb 30 yard free kick at Oldham. His vision and movement will be trouble and with 4 goals so far if he plays he may well be able to fill his boots against our poor defence.

Recent Form

TownHartlepool
LBarnet(a)0-3
LChesterfield(a)2-3
DDarlington(h)1-1
WTorquay(a)2-0
WHereford(h)1-0
Currently 22nd in League Two.
LExeter(a)1-3
DStockport(a)2-2
WWalsall(h)3-0
LColchester(a)0-2
DWycombe(h)1-1
Currently 15th in League One.

Top Scorers

TownHartlepool
Conlon3
Sweeney3
Behan4
Boyd4

Team News

TownHartlepool

  • Nathan Jarman is likely to feature for the first time this season after recovery from a broken bone in his foot.

  • Paul Linwood (concussion) and Robbie Stockdale (groin) will be missing.

  • Midfielder Danny Boshell is back in contention following a hamstring injury.

  • Barry Conlon is suspended (again).
  • Striker James Brown and defender Peter Hartley are both injured.
  • Squads

    TownHartlepool
    1GKNick Colgan
    2DFRobbie Stockdale
    3DFJoe Widdowson
    4DFRyan Bennett (captain)
    5DFMatthew Heywood
    6MFPeter Sweeney
    7MFAdrian Forbes
    8FWNathan Jar man
    9FWAdam Proudlock
    10FWBarry Conlon
    11MFDanny Boshell
    12DFJamie Clarke
    13MFNick Hegarty
    14MFPeter Bore
    15DFMatthew Bird
    16DFPaul Linwood
    17MFGrant Normington
    18FWChris Jones
    19MFMichael Leary
    25DFRobert Atkinson
    26FWJean-Louis Akpa Akpro
    27FWDanny North
    35GKLeigh Overton
    1 GK Scott Flinders
    2 DF Neil Austin
    3 DF Ritchie Humphreys
    4 MF Gary Liddle
    5 DF Sam Collins
    6 DF Ben Clark
    7 MF Leon McSweeney
    8 MF Ritchie Jones
    9 FW Denis Behan
    10 FW Adam Boyd
    11 MF Andy Monkhouse
    12 FW James Brown
    14 MF Jonny Rowell
    15 MF Antony Sweeney
    16 DF Steve Haslam
    19 MF Jon André Fredriksen
    20 MF Alan Power
    21 GK Mark Cook
    22 FW Matty Tymon
    23 FW Colin Larkin
    24 FW Billy Greulich
    26 DF Ármann Björnsson
    29 DF Peter Hartley
    TBA MF Willie Boland
    TBA DF Julien Cherel

    Head to Head

    Town comfortably lead overall but they have lost all four games this millenium, by an aggregate score of 2-16.

    P45 W21D7 L17F64A55

    Head-to-Head (27th on The Opposition Ladder)

    Last Meeting

    Hartlepool 2 Grimsby 0 (Tue 26th Dec 2006)

    Boxing Day, 3 years ago. Hartlepool won at a canter.

    Report

    Prediction

    The Fishy Prediction

    As long as its not 8-1 I don’t care I’m going past caring. A defeat results in a shrug of the shoulders followed instantly by the thought "What shall I have for tea?"

    Hartlepool 2-0 Grimsby

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