Team News: Grimsby v Hartlepool

By: Rob Sedgwick
Date: 25/09/2006

AFTER a bad result and a poor performance on Saturday against Stockport, Graham Rodger is once again under pressure to come up with the goods against another of our bogey sides, Hartlepool United.

With striker Isaiah Rankin still out of action with a thigh injury, Rodger must decide whether to persevere with youngster Andy Taylor up front, or start this time with Southend loanee James Lawson, who came on as a substitute for Taylor against Stockport.

With no new injuries Rodger has a number of other options where he can ring in the changes. Tom Newey's place at left back is under threat after recent poor form. Gary Croft has been playing at right back in recent games, but with Macca fit again, Croft could start in his natural left back position, allowing Macca to return on the right side of the back four.

Other options available to Rodger are to bring in Ciaran Toner or Peter Beagrie in midfield, with Boshell the most likely to make way.

Hartlepool manager Danny Wilson is set to pick from the same squad he used on Saturday, for the trip to Blundell Park, where Pool last came in 2004 and won comfortably 2-0. Earlier in the season they thrashed the Mariners 8-1, in a season which ultimately ended in Town's relegation to League Two.

Hartlepool, who many people fancied at the start of the season to get promoted, have performed least well of the relegated sides. However in recent weeks Pools' form has picked up and on Saturday they hammered Peterborough 5-3 at London Road, at one time leading 4-0. Hartlepool currently lie just above the Mariners in the league table.

Front pair Jon Daly (no. 25, who was at loan at Grimsby in 2004) and Joel Porter (no. 9) are starting to form a formidable striker partnership, and the pair have scored three goals each this campaign. Another player to watch out for is 20-year-old attacking midfielder Gary Liddle (no. 18), who has burst into the first team this season and scored his first two goals for the club on Saturday in the drubbing of Posh.

Predicted Sides

Town: Barnes, McDermott, Whittle, Fenton, Croft, Bore, Bolland, Beagrie, Ravenhill, Jones, Taylor
Subs: Newey, Chamberlain, Toner, Boshell, Lawson

Hartlepool: Konstantopoulos, Darren Williams, Nelson, Clark, Brackstone, Gibb, Sweeney, Liddle, Robson, Porter (Foley, 64 ), Daly
Subs: Boland, Barron, Eifion Williams, Provett

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