By Albatross
July 14 2004

Hartlepool United got their pre-season programme underway with a 2-2 draw in the Netherlands against TOP Oss - despite the Ref throwing a wobbly with 10 minutes to play. And a French defender is on trial with the squad.

The draw may not be quite what Pools were expecting against a side they thrashed last season, but as the cliche goes it's all about fitness at this stage of the season, and the apparent hunger of Steven Istead for first team action suggests that Jack Ross may not be an automatic choice on the right.

The Official Site reports that the game finished in a farcical manner when, with almost ten minutes left to play, the Referee walked off the pitch causing the match to be abandoned. Just goes to show, even Refs have tantrums occasionally!

Also apparently with the squad in the Netherlands is another triallist. This time it's Abrahim Tounkara, a 6'3" Central Defender. The Frenchman is 23, and has been plying his trade with Parisian side Red Star 93 in what seems, from my reading of their excellent website (complete with a version in English!) Allez Red Star to be something akin to the Unibond League. Red Star were in the French 2nd Division as recently as 1999, but a combination of poor form on the pitch and financial problems off it have seen them drop like a stone. Added to the fact that Tounkara's English is apparently a bit sketchy, he will have to be mighty impressive for this to go further than a brief look while in Holland.

Next up then is FC Eindhoven on Friday, and maybe a chance for those not involved tonight to try and persuade Cooper of their merits. One who will not be taking part though is Darren Byfield; the out of favour Sunderland striker was rumoured to have been taking part tonight, only for the "news" to turn out to be a wind-up!