HARTLEPOOL boss Mick Wadsworth is urging his unbeaten troops to guard against complacency.
Wadsworth’s men make the long journey south to face Bournemouth at Dean Court today and are hoping to prolong their flying start to their League One campaign.
Hartlepool are on a 10-game unbeaten run which stretches back to the end of last season which began against today’s opponents in a 2-2 draw at Victoria Park in which goalkeeper Scott Flinders headed in a last-minute equaliser for Pool.
Bournemouth have made a slow start to the season and languish in 17th position.
With Hartlepool already occupying a promotion play-off spot in fifth and four points off table-topping Charlton, on paper this would surely be a shoo-in for Pool?
It is such talk Wadsworth is keen to guard against lest it derails the bandwagon.
He said: “We could end up at the bottom of the league if we do not do things right.
“We have to make sure we get better, we cannot stand still and we cannot be happy with what we have.
“We cannot feel we have done it – we have achieved nothing yet. To keep it going we must get better because other teams will also improve.
“Teams which have had a poor start will pick up and end the season well, and the league will change immensely. Every day, every training session, every weights session, even on rest days, it is the mental approach of getting better.”
That means treating Bournemouth with the upmost respect.
Wadsworth is mindful of the Cherries’ slow start but states that counts for nothing.
What does matter is the newly-found confidence Bournemouth have gained as a result of winning their last two games against Leyton Orient and Exeter City.
No matter how many places separate the two sides in the table, two teams buoyed up by recent results will be looking at this fixture to keep their respective runs going.
Wadsworth added: “We did very well against them last year. We beat them down there, had a draw here when Scott Flinders scored his famous goal coming from the back as a goalkeeper.
“They have had an indifferent start, until they won two games recently, and that makes a big difference to your points haul and your league position.
“It will be a tough game, there is no doubt about that, and I expect them to do better than they have been doing.”
Wadsworth has no new injury concerns ahead of today’s long trip to the south coast.
Evan Horwood played ninety minutes and scored for the Reserves in a 6-1 win over Hull on Wednesday to press his claims for a return to the squad following a thigh injury.
