Poole - comeback goal

By Charlie Summerbell
March 4 2012

In the first half of the season, Hartlepool Uniuted would have lost at home to MK Dons, probably heavily. But the progress they have made since Neale Cooper's return as manager was underlined in a 1-1 draw with the impressive promotion-chasing side at Victoria Park.

The Dons were probably just as pleased with the point than Pools were because teams are now nervous about a visit to the Vic – unlike in the autumn when even the poorest teams in League One could expect a win there.

But Cooper was honest enough to admit that Pools were a little lucky to get a point from the game.

“They were one of the best sides we’ve played,” he told the club website.

“We were fortunate to go in 1-0 up at half-time because they had bettered us at times and had shown they had quality all over the pitch.

“We rode our luck a wee bit, but defended well, too, and scored a very good goal from what was probably our best passage of play all afternoon.

“We lost the ball too easily at times and we have to show a lot more quality than that – but today’s point was a good one in my opinion.”

He actually said that every point is a prisoner, but we don’t get that one.

James Poole celebrated his return to the team after two months out through injury by scoring late in the first half with a close-range header, but the Dons were level soon after the break when James O’Shea headed a simple goal.

Dons had their chances, but the game petered out late on, and there was a late blow for Pools when on-loan sub Sammy Adjei appeared to suffer a hamstring injury and the home team had to finish the game with ten men. Adjei was due to have the injury assessed at Newcastle United over the weekend.

Pools are back on the road this week, with Tuesday night's visit to fourth-top Huddersfield followed by next Saturday's game at fourth-bottom Walsall.