By Albatross
September 19 2003

Normal service resumed after the recent break, and it's great reading for Pools Fans. Hartlepool United travel to Brentford knowing that a win could see us go top of Division 2. I don't know, you go away for a couple of weeks and everything happens! A draw with Oldham, Hendo out on loan, and then the club records it's biggest victory for more than 40 years. As if that wasn't enough, we then follow it up with a win over Stockport that lifts us into second spot - our highest point since we were joint top (second on goal difference) back in 1992, a state of affairs that inspired a Monkey Business cover showing the table with an arrow pointing to it and the legend "You are Here"....

With Cooper now deploying 4-3-3 and still looking at more players - two prolific strikers from the Highland League being the next to come down on trial - it's possibly as healthy a state of affairs on the pitch as Pools have ever seen. And next up, we have a trip down to London to take on Brentford.

The Bees haven't been having nearly so good a time of it recently. A self-imposed salary cap hasn't left Wally Downes much scope for new signings, and results are starting to show that it's going to be a struggle down at Griffin Park. 20th place and just two wins in their games so far do not bode well. So far they have won just one game on their own turf - against Oldham - and have been beaten by Plymouth and Peterborough.

Goals are proving to be hard to come by, with just five in their nine games this season - and only once have they scored more than one in a game. Steve Hunt is the only player to have scored more than once this season, and Downes task is made no easier due to defender Leo Roget starting a four match ban; he has been forced to call up final-year scholar Dean Wells as cover for his already young squad.

Pools meanwhile are in fine fettle, with consecutive wins and ten goals to their credit. No-one suspended, and the only player unavailable to Cooper - other than the loaned out Henderson and Richardson - is Adam Boyd, who will need another couple of weeks to overcome his broken toe. With little need to make changes, it's likely that the team will be unchanged from the midweek win at Edgely Park.

This looks likely to be another three points for Pools, and so I'll go for a 1-0 win with Robinson on target. Top Spot? Here's hoping!