Collins - late goal

By Charlie Summerbell
August 1 2012

They say you shouldn't take too mujch notice of foirm shown in pre-season friendlies, but Hartlepool United fans will find it difficult not to be lifted by a win and a draw against Premiership and Championship opposition after their disappointing results in Holland.

Beating Sunderland 1-0 was a feather in the Pools caps, and the 2-2 draw against Middlesbrough wasn’t bad at times either.

Pools started well and moved the ball about well, but Boro completely changed their team at half-time and not surprisingly were the better team overall.

On the positive side for Pools, Steve Howard is clearly going to be a major force up front while in midfield Simon Walton looks a good signing. But boss Neale Cooper will probably be worried about the lack of pace and the bad habit of giving the ball away too much.

And if he isn’t, he should be, though he preferred to look at the positives when he told the Mail: "I’ve been more and more encouraged as the games have gone on. I feel this is my strongest team at the moment, but there are still boys pushing to get in.

“We can’t keep chopping and changing because we need to give people playing time.

“I’ve done that over two games now by keeping the same XI and I want to do that so the lads can get their sharpness.

“It’ll take a little time to get used to this new shape, from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2. But once they get into those habits of where we should be, with and without the ball, then it will only get better. I think this new system suits the boys and they seem to like it."

The two Boro goals came after Pools failed to clear properly, the visitors’ scores sandwiched between goals from Antony Sweeney and a late effort from Sam Collins for Pools.

There’s another home game against Hull City next weekend when Pools will be hoping to get things right before the real things starts with the League Cup (whatever it’s called this season) first round tie at Crewe a week later on August 11.