Big Sam - equalizer

By Charlie Summerbell
December 11 2011

It's difficult to avoid thinking that by sacking Mick Wadsworth, the powers that be at Hartlepool United have managed to turn a minor crisis into a major one. After all, under Wadsworth they might have been rubbish at home, but at least they had a great away record. 

Caretaker boss Micky Barron’s first game in charge ended in a 2-1 defeat at Brentford, Pools going down to a late goal after looking worth a share of the points.

Barron decided to leave out the club’s most creative player, Nobby Solano, as he tried to earn a result that could push his case for the job on a more permanent basis.

But after 80 fairly even minutes, Pools fell behind when Scott Flinders made a mess of a lob by Niall McGinn.

However, skipper Sam Collins celebrated his return from injury with a quick equalizer, curling a 25-yarder into the bottom corner, only for Brentford to regain the lead a minute later when Antony Sweeney was harshly ruled to have fouled in the area and Alexander scored from the rebound after Flinders save his penalty.

Guess what ... Barron felt the penalty was harsh, too.

He told the club website: “It’s hard to take, but there’s not much we can do about it.,

“Overall I thought we matched them and created some good chances, so to come away with nothing is harsh.”

Whether Barron is still in charge next weekend, when Pools kick-off the Christmas and New Year spell with a home game against Colchester remains to be seen, but Pools have never been renowned for hurrying the appointment of a new manager.

The rumour mill is in full swing, of course, with names galore being linked with the job, but still the feeling remains that if Wadsworth had been given more time, he might have got things right.

Now Pools are having to start all over again.