The Poolie Bunker

we deserved the three points no doubt. Subs should have been brought on earlier, they all made an impact but came on too late. Thought Macnally was outstanding even though he was playing in unfamiliar right back roll.

One consolation, it looks like we’ve finally got the keeper we need.

Yeah McNally was very good- given he was out of position. Also thought Parkes and Kougan were solid at the back too. We were just a bit too deep as a unit at times.

One thing I was struck by- which wasn't as obvious on my last visit (our disastrous midweek Cup replay exit last season) was how uneven and bumpy the pitch surface was- it appeared to slope in places (uphill from in front of the main stand towards the pools fans behind the goal) in the channel. Looked a heavy pitch too- which I suppose is to expected at this time of year. Still, suppose it's the same for both teams!

Everything about their ground screams non league- not a criticism as such, just a real reality check of where we currently are as a club. At least the dark cloud that was the later years of Raj's reign, has disappeared over the horizon. It feels as though we've hit the bottom and are on our way back!

He's certainly a unit, and looks delighted to be here playing regularly.
I'm surprised SARFend let him go- though I think we paid a fee (undisclosed of course).
2 clean sheets and only 1 goal conceded in his first 3 games, is a decent start. Reckon he's the best permanent keeper we've had since Scott Loach.

Their fans aren’t too happy he’s here either, they seemed to prefer him over their present keeper.
Their loss our gain….especialky as getting a decent keeper has been our problem for years….our two loanees this season being the exception.

only had the tees radio commentary to rely on and it sounded like we were all over them after the first 20 odd minutes. if thats the fact and them not being biased its 2 points lost rather than 1 won. its still 10 points from our last 5 games even with the woking result and if we carried this on till the end of the season we,ll make the play offs. getting to a point now where all the games are big starting next saturday against john colemans aldershot.

Thoughts of a Brackley supporter on yesterdays match.

"It was a battle between two poor teams today. Brackley had an off day, couldn't really string anything together, and have looked much better than this over the previous 3 games, not that that suggests we're anything other than fighting against relegation. But we do fight. Hartlepool looked just average. The 'two offside goals' could give a misleading slant to a very even game - Brackley hit the bar and had one scrambled off the opposition line. To be fair to Campbell he came closest to scoring and looked no better / worse than anyone else. Charman looked good”

Says it all.

Pools twice played this team of part timers who are creating a niche for themselves as a solid mid table team. Pools couldnt score against them in 180 plus minutes. Tells you all you need to know about play fantasies.