By Clarence Rode
July 26 2008

Anybody who needed a reminder of Hartlepool's major weakness last season only had to go to Victoria Park for the pre-season centenary tournament in which Pools were beaten 1-0 by a Sunderland team. Pools couldn't take enough of their chances last season, and it was the same old story in this game as a Michael Chopra penalty earned the Black Cats their win.

Now do you remember why everybody wanted Danny Wilson to find a new striker during the close-season?
Well, he just might have done that, because James Brown (left) was arguably the best attacking player on the pitch and was not only unlucky not to score himself, but also unlucky not to make a goal or two for team-mates.
Pools played some good football at times, hitting the woodwork twice early on through midfield dynamo Alan Power, who showed he likes to go forward and likes to get stuck in as well.
Wilson has high hopes that Bown will do the business up front this season, and there was plenty of evidence in this game to suggest he might be right. But his best bet for success, in our view, is playing alongside Joel Porter, who didn't replace Richard Barker until well into the second half.
The result was wrong, but in stifling heat it was a good work-out and Power's performance in midfield has given Wilson some food for thought. When the Irishman was signed from Forest it was thought he would be a second-string midfield player, but he could turn out to be more than that.
Another decision still to be made is who plays in the middle of the defence. Sam Collins and Micky nelson played againt Sunderland, but Ben Clark is also pressing his claims for a place.
A lot to be worked out yet, then, but if Pools don't take their chances - or at least some of them - we could be in for more frustration than last season.