Joel Poter - goal

By Clarence Rode
July 28 2008

Joel Porter scored the goal a Hartlepool beat Huddersfield 1-0 to take third place in their own centenary tournament at Victoria Park, and manager dnny Wilson declared himself pleased with the way his team's pre-season training is going. It's been hard work in hot weather, bvut Wilson says that should serve the squad well in the months to come.

Porter and James Brown have both looked good in pre-season games, and everything at the moment suggests that the pair will start as Pools' strikers.
But Wilson still has a few selection problems to solve.
In fact, while Porter and Brown have probably done enough to earn their places at the start of the season, virtually every other position in the team still has to be decided.
Wilson has too many players for too few places in midfield, needs to choose between Michael Nelson, Ben Clark and Sam Collins for the middle of defence and has to make a choice over the goalkeeper shirt.
There are oher posers, too - like over whether Antony Sweeney is a full-back or a midfield player and which is Jamie McCunnie's best position?
The form of Brown and Porter could be enough to ave Wilson signing a new striker - not that there are too many signs of him doing that so far this summer.
Over to you DW - less than two weeks to go, and a lot of question to answer.
The centenary tournament was won by Hamilton Accies, who beat Sunderland 2-1 in the final.