By Albatross
August 28 2005

Hartlepool United's Bank Holiday game is already looking one that is a must win - people are starting to get restless over our performances so far this season. Scunthorpe United promise to offer a tricky challenge as well. After an opening to the season that's been littered with games against teams either tipped to do well or showing some good early form, we find ourselves with yet another. Currently in 4th, level on points with the three teams above them, Scunthorpe are performing well above expectations at the moment and will be aiming to provide another toughie for Pools.

After losing at Brentford on the opening day of the season, Brian Laws' men have won four out of five and drawn the other: Barnsley, Nottingham Forest, Tranmere in the Cup and most recently Southend on Friday have been the victims. Despite their exalted position, Pools fans want to see a win over Scunny - anything less and some searching questions will be asked.

Scunthorpe's start seems to be based less on attack than on defence: none of their games have seen them score more than twice, and every win has been by a single goal. In fact the only player to score more than once so far is a defender - Richard Hinds, with one each in league and cup. In an attempt to pep things up, Laws has paid out a six figure sum to Sheffield United for Billy Sharp - a 19 year old whose main claim to fame is a productive loan spell at Rushden last season. He scored the goal that beat Forest on his debut. Recently he's been partnered with sometime Leeds trainee Andrew Keogh.

While Scunny have been making the most of their opening games, for Pools the opposite is the case. The question is, how will Martin Scott look to turn things round? I reckon it's odds on that he'll start with the same eleven that took the field for the second half on Saturday; and if we can perform as we did at the Galpharm Stadium after Boyd and Bullock took the field then there's every chance that we can turn things around. The question is, which Pools team will turn up?

Possibly more to the point is whether Pools will get off to a decent start. We're rapidly developing a reputation as slow starters, and too often we're going behind and giving ourselves plenty to do - in some cases too much. We can't keep giving sides a goal start or even two - or not if we intend to make an impact this season.

Can Pools start turning things round? Martin Scott already recognises that we need to - and with Boyd starting to show that he's put recent events behind him it's entirely possible. I can't see us overcoming them easily though; Pools to do the business with a tense 1-0 win thanks to another goal from Boyd.