Sweens - No 10

By Charlie Summerbell
January 9 2011

The North East’s big three might have been embarrassed by the way they were knocked out of the FA cup in the third round, but at least Hartlepool United were able to bow out of the competition with their heads held high, even though theirs was the heaviest defeat of the four for the region’s teams.

For an hour Pools more than matched Watford at Vicarage Road and were in front as the game entered the final quarter, but class told in the end and Pools were knocked out by a 4-1 scoreline that didn’t do justice to their performance.
Mick Wadsworth told the club website that despite the result, there is a bright future at Pools.
“I thought we played excellently,” he said. “The balance of play in the first half switched to us as the game went on. Then we started the second half really well, but the turning point as a failure in defence for their short corner.
“It’s a shame, but in the context of everything that happened, we still have a lot of good things to look forward to.”
Almost 800 Pools fans made the trip and Wadsworth admitted it as a shame to let them down in the Cup, but he said: “I can’t thank them enough.
We need to repay them on Saturday against Dagenham and Redbridge. We need to get back on this League trial because we have a fantastic chance to do something special this season.”
Some would say MW has already done something pretty fantastic transforming a bit of a rabble into a squad far from disgraced even in a 4-1 defeat.
Antony Sweeney’s tenth goal of the season gave Pools the lad on the stroke of half-time, and soon after the break Leon McSweeney’s header and a shot from Richie Humphreys were both close to a second while Joe Gamble shot straight at the home keeper.
But Piero Mingoia curled in the equalizer after that short corner that angered Wadsworth and minutes later Marvin Sordell made it 2-1.
Sordell scored again eight minutes from time and in added time former Boro striker Danny Graham wrapped it up for Watford.
If nothing else, the game provided further proof of how important skipper sam Collins is to the defence.
It was a scoreline Pools didn’t deserve, but after shipping in seven goals in their last two games, they’ll be keen to return to their miserly ways against Dagenham at the Vic on Saturday.