Wadsworth’s party guests plan to upset their hosts
Dec 11 2010 by Mark Smith, The Journal
HARTLEPOOL United hope to play the role of party-poopers this afternoon as they travel to the South Coast, writes MARK SMITH.
Mick Wadsworth’s side are the opponents for a Bournemouth side celebrating 100 years at their Dean Court home.
The high-flying Cherries have lost just once there this season in nine league outings, with their last home match seeing them cruise to a 2-0 triumph over Yeovil.
They lie just one place outside of the automatic promotion berths in the npower League One table, two points behind second-placed Charlton.
Hartlepool’s mid-table position, meanwhile, does not disguise the fact that they are just four points clear of the relegation zone.
Pools have been without a game since their 1-0 home win over Tranmere, but with that match coming almost three weeks ago, Wadsworth is understandably keen for his men to shake off any signs of rustiness.
“The lads are bouncing off the walls to get a game under their belts, with the last three having been postponed,” he said.
“We’ve had the use of an indoor facility, which has been great, especially when we know some clubs have been struggling to get training venues during the bad weather. We’ve also been working hard on the fitness side, so hopefully we can benefit from that on the weekend.
“Middlesbrough have been very good in letting us use their indoor centre last weekend, and then on the way down to Bournemouth we stopped off and used Birmingham City’s, which, again, was extremely helpful.”
Insisting that the 330-mile journey poses no major problems for his side, Wadsworth said: “We’re used to it.
“It’s a very southern-based league, so every other week virtually we’ve got one of these big bus journeys to make. We’ve broken it up by training at Birmingham this time, but it’s nothing unusual for us to have a trek like this.”
Wadsworth has almost a full hand to choose from with striker Billy Greulich and the goalkeeping pair of Scott Flinders and Andy Rafferty being the only major injury concerns.
Front men Colin Larkin (back) and Dennis Behan (shoulder) are both in contention for a return, but the manager knows his side have a task on their hands against one of the league’s form clubs.
“Bournemouth have started the season very well, and they’re an energetic side,” he said.
“They have a Hartlepool old boy in Steve Fletcher up front, and even at 38 it’s great to see guys like that still involved and doing well. The manager down there, Eddie Howe, is also a guy I really respect. You have to admire what Bournemouth are doing with the results they’ve had.
“It’s going to be a party atmosphere down there with the 100 years at their home ground and all the rest of it, but the lads have just got to avoid entering into the spirit of it and get on with the game,” he said.
