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Hartlepool, or The Monkey Hangers as they are rather uniquely nicknamed, are motoring though and come to South Essex sitting pretty at the summit of Division Three. Of course had the Shrimpers come away victorious from the Vetch Field they'd be in second spot, but that's all in material with Newman's men currently sitting eighth. Victory tonight however will see United rise to second place; until tomorrow at least.
Southend lost 6-1 at Second Division strugglers Swindon Town on Tuesday night, but you can't really read into the result with United missing many key players, in particular captain Kevin Maher, Ian Selley, Neil Jenkins and Stephen Broad. Striker Tesfaye Bramble missed that match, aswell as the Swansea defeat, with a hamstring strain but the powerful front runner returns to the squad along striking partner Mark Rawle who returns from a slightly more serious hamstring strain and with David McSweeney returning to action after a knee operation on Tuesday Southend are at maximum strength for the first time this season.
Hartlepool, managed by Chris Turner, also took a five-goal hiding on Tuesday evening at Tranmere Rovers but they also fielded a very much understrength side. The Monkey Hangers, who haven't won at Roots Hall since September 1969, defeated Wrexham 4-3 last weekend with former Shrimpers midfielder Mark Tinkler chipping in with the first hat-trick of his career. Tinkler should once again feature this evening on what is his 28th birthday.
"It's going to be tough down there" says Pool manager Turner, "but I do expect us to score goals" he states, explaining; "With the form that Eifion [Williams] and Marus [Richardson] are showing, plus goals coming from midfield, then I'm going there expecting us to score. We had some problems in defending towards the end of last Saturday's game, but we've been addressing them all week".
United boss Rob Newman is however hoping that his side can block the flow of goals and clock up what would be a vital victory - "It's a big game for us" proclaimed Newman before adding that "They're an experienced side and it's going to be difficult. The incentive for us though is that if we beat them we will go second in the League and just two points behind Hartlepool".
Last season the two sides drew a goalless blank in a dour stalemate at Roots
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Last Matches:-
Swindon Town 6 (Jackson 10, Davis 24, Heywood 45, Invincibile 49, Miglioranzi 88, Parkin 90) Southend United 1 (Jones 22), Line-up - Flahavan, Steven Clark, Searle, Cort, Jordan (Beard 55), Whelan, Thurgood (McSweeney 85), Smith, Tilson, Belgrave (Salter 55), Jones. Unused - Selley, Gay.
Tranmere Rovers 5 (Harrison 32, Jones 45, 75, Roberts 68, Taylor 79) Hartlepool United 0, Line-up - Provett, Arnison, Simms, Sharp, Bass, Robson, Widdrington, Sweeney, Boyd, Henderson (Easter 76), McKenzie. Unused - Barron, Richardson, Humphreys, Anthony Williams.
LAST FIVE MEETINGS:-
23rd Feb, 2002 - Hartlepool United 5 Southend United 1 (Belgrave) - Division Three
15th Sep, 2001 - Southend United 0 Hartlepool United 0
7th Apr, 2001 - Southend United 2 (Bramble 2) Hartlepool United 1 - Division Three
2nd Dec, 2000 - Hartlepool United 1 Southend United 0 - Division Three
12th Feb, 2000 - Southend United 2 (Carruthers 2) Hartlepool United 1 - Division Three
SOUTHEND (from):- Darryl Flahavan, Daniel Gay, Mark Beard, Damon Searle, Leon Cort, Stephen Broad, Tom Jordan, Phil Whelan, Rob Newman, Kevin Maher, Jay Smith, Stuart Thurgood, Steve Tilson, Steven Clark, Neil Jenkins, Graeme Jones, Mark Salter, Barrington Belgrave, Mark Rawle, Tesfaye Bramble.
HARTLEPOOL (from):- Anthony Williams, Michael Barron, Graeme Lee, Lee Westwood, Mark Robinson, Darrell Clarke, Mark Tinkler, Paul Smith, Ritchie Humphreys, Eifion Williams, Marcus Ruchardson, Jim Provett, James Sharp, Antony Sweemey, Tommy Widdrington, Paul Arnison, Adam Boyd.
Mark Wallis
www.thelittlegazette.com
HEAD-TO-HEAD SOUTHEND UNITED v HARTLEPOOL UNITED
Stats by www.soccer-stats.co.uk
RESULTS RECORD
Southend United - 16
Hartlepool United - 8
Draw - 8
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