By Albatross
August 24 2003

Still unbeaten, Hartlepool United take on surprise leaders Port Vale - the only club to have a 100% record in Division 2. The stage is set for a Bank Holiday Spectacular at Victoria Park. Two bets that you would have got long odds for at the start of the season would have been (1) Pools to be unbeaten after their first four games; and (2) Port Vale to be topping the table with a 100% record after their three league games. Both of us are proving to be surprise packages so far this season, and Monday's game will have to see something give.

Vale are the only team in Div2 to have won all of their games, although it has to be said that some of their opponents have not been of the best. An opening day win at home to Bournemouth, defeat on penalties to Nottingham Forest in the Carling Cup and a good away win at Grimsby were followed on Saturday by another home victory, this time 4-3 over Colchester. You may only be able to beat what's in fron of you, but all three victories have been by a single goal, and their only clean sheet was in the Cup game.

With eight league goals so far though, Pools defence will need to be on it's toes. Steve McPhee has scored three so far, one in each league game, while 19 year old Billy Painter will be hoping to get a start after coming off the bench to score crucial goals in both of the last two games. He came on at half time against Colchester, replacing Mark Bridge-Wilkinson. With the experienced Adrian Littlejohn likely to be leading the line, Pools will have a job on their hands to keep another clean sheet at home.

With a defence that's so far been pierced five times though, the Pools forwards will be confident of getting on the scoresheet. Dean Delaney will be in goal, and he will be hoping for more protection from a defensive unit that includes former Everton youngster George Pilkington and Austrian International Andreas Lipa.

There are no new injuries reported in the Pools squad, but Cooper may yet be tempted to change things around. Henderson started at Ashton Gate before being replaced at the break by Gabbiadini, and it may well be that we see that pattern repeated as Cooper seeks to ease Gabbiadini into the first team picture as he works his way up to full fitness. Meanwhile, with Darrell Clarke so far proving to be less than impressive there's a chance that Steven Istead will finally make his first start on the right; and with Tinkler also looking out of sorts it could be that Humphreys will play in the centre with Robson outside him on the left.

Jim Provett looks assured of his place though after another great performance. The young 'keeper has been a revelation since coming in for the game against Sheffield Wednesday, and with three good performances behind him his confidence must be sky high. The gauntlet has well and truly been laid down to Taffy, and if and when Williams does get back into the side he'll know that he can't take his place for granted any more.

Top of the table against twelfth then, but I think Pools have a good chance of picking up the win here. It's at our own ground, and we've got something out of games against some of the sides tipped to be at the top this season; confidence should be high, and although Vale are showing themselves worthy of respect, their defensive frailties should be something that attackers of the quality of Humphreys, Robinson and Gabbiadini should be able to exploit. So I'll go for a 2-1 victory for Pools, Robinson and Humphreys to bag the goals.