Get in 1-0 up

now 1-1

disallowed

VAR?

How did we play? Decent side Spennymoor

My first look at the new lads today. We certainly didn't play at full pelt, a lot of balls back to keeper and slow paced keep ball, especially in the second half. Spenny are certainly a decent side and probably deserved something from the game. Davies looks quality, noble was decent,Muir did well when the ball got up to him, kitchin was fairly quiet, James did quite well playing on the shoulder and showed a poachers instinct for the goal. Now my major concern comes from Myles Anderson, dunno what he's been like in other friendlies but he was shocking today, every attack came down his side as he was out of position all the time, he looked weak in the air and in the tackle, shyed out of challenges and was generally run ragged. Summed up by their no10 having a go at him saying that was the worst left back performance he's ever seen and he wouldn't get a game in the northern league. Hopefully he improves but I'd rather see laing start on that showing. Overall a good work out and shows there is still a lot to do.

Thought spenny had the better of the game possession wise, created a good few half chances without really testing loach.

Aside from the goal we hit the post twice and the bar (albeit the flag went up for offside). Their keeper also pulled off a great save from Cassidy.

We played some nice stuff first half at times. 2nd half we seemed quite disjointed.

Some musings...

Davies is a class above, dominating in the air in both boxes, he's fucking brilliant.

Anderson seemed half decent in the air at times but was All Over the shop on the deck

Kitching linked up well with James down the left a few times and put a couple of good balls in the box

Noble was busy in midfield, set piece delivery was excellent.

Muir and James seemed to have a decent understanding.


Overall was a good workout, there was a good edge to the game. Would like to see more movement when in possession

Agree with that, Anderson is so left footed he circles himself!

He just doesn't look confident and I noticed Davies and noble had to constantly shout at him to keep him right. I honestly think laing will be better this season with Davies in there.

Laing has looked much more confident and assured in all 3 games I've seen. Bringing the ball out and rarely wasting it. Anderson hasnt.

Laing has looked much more confident and assured in all 3 games I've seen. Bringing the ball out and rarely wasting it. Anderson hasnt.

Laing loves a Hollywood ball which he usually over hits but I agree he looks more self assured.

Going to throw my hat in the ring, can see this being a terrible season for us.
Got the win but we were under the cosh throughout.

Bates completely out of his depth - we need experience guiding the team.
Miles Anderson possible worst signing in pools history - contraversial but I’d rather Scott Harrison filling in there than him.

On the upside Nico Muir looks handy, but can only serve us in non-league and Luke James back in the famous blue and white was a welcomed sight.

Hopefully Bates can pull his finger out (of god only knows what) and guide the pools back to the football league.

Worst signing in pools history, yes he was poor today but I think your being a bit harsh!. I think it's only fair to give him a few competitive games first.

Worst signing in history.... based on pre season.

Fucking hell, can you remember Jan Budtz, Armann Bjornsson, Russell Doig, Kona Hislop, Peter Billing, Scott Sloan... I could go on all night.

Harrisonsbarnets 14th post the worst of a bad bunch. One suspects a troll.

He's right yloop. It's always best to judge players and managers after pre season results.

I take it back then.

80 games in 8 seasons, harrisonsbarnet could be onto a winner here , LOL !

Rarf.

I'm amazed nobody's mentioned the slope on the Spennymoor pitch yet. The home team know how to take full advantage, especially attacking on the downslope. A Spenny fan sitting next to me said they always attack down the hill first if they win the toss, hoping to jump into an early lead.

Pools struggled with the novelty of it for the first 15 minutes, nobody more than Anderson. After that they got themselves organised and took control of the game. Spenny fan was impressed! Pools were worth their lead at half time, didn't really kick on second half with all the substitutions.

It was my first look at this version of Pools and I'm still optimistic about next season! Noble, Hawkes and Featherstone in central midfield looked a decent combination (and Featherstone looks fully fit for the first time in a long while), likewise Muir and James up front.

Davies and Magnay were strong at the back - just hope the pair of them manage to avoid too many injuries. Kitching did well on the left (especially first half). Second half it was annoying how often Donaldson then Richardson got into loads of space on the right but didn't receive the ball - Laing never even looked to his right in possession, let alone passed there.

Dinanga had a quiet 30 minutes on the pitch, unlike Jake Cassidy, who had a right ding dong with Spennymoor's big centre half. Think the ref stopped the game before he had to send them both off!

You know that team Neale Cooper built for our first season in whatever League One was called back then? For every two Strachans there was a Jordan.
How did that end?

Last year we went to harrogate and got comfortably beat. Spennymoor are not far behind them in standard and can probobly comfortably survive in our league. I think just winning there and keeping a clean sheet is a step forward on last years rubbish.

what a bell end

Oh yeah the slope. Only really noticed it when I swapped ends at half time. Must be a full 5 feet difference.

On what I saw of both teams last season Spenny would have comfortably beat us.


Thought yesterday was a decent work out, played some nice football in the first half.

First time I've seen us this season. Concurring with most of what's already been said, clean sheet, improvement on Harrogate last year etc. Wasn't 100% sure who was who yesterday as regards the new players so cant really comment on individual performances, but in a nutshell nothing to really complain about, did little wrong , but still a bit of concern that once the real thing starts we may fall short in certain departments. What struck me yesterday is , as opposed to in previous pre-seasons and certainly when I was last at Spennymoor, when Paynter was playing for us, Pools do actually look like a non league side now, no real gulf in class between them and Spennymoor. The transformation is complete. What we need to do now is start the fightback. It may take 2 or 3 seasons, maybe more, steady improvement year on year, on and off the field , but it has to happen. We've experienced 10 years of decline, now we need to reverse that and get back were we belong.

I think you can probably double that This pic of the main stand doesn't lie:

http://www.footballgroundguide.com/leag ... field.html

There's a little beer marquee in the bottom end next to the stand and the ground falls away a couple of feet even in there - and that's before you've bought any drink

Spennymoor were in the northern league not long back, if it wasnt for them playing so many cup games could easily have been playing in the national league this year. They are capable of beating teams better than pools. We will finish higher than last year just by not playing laing and harrison.

Did anyone see Scott Harrison in the ground watching match? Who was the guy with him?

A piss poor wind up.
Throw your hat into the ring? Throw yourself off the breakwater more like!

a win is always a good win no matter how its achieved

Malcolm Draws voice of reason

[/quote]what a bell end[/quote]

Apologies for voicing my opinion...
Apologies that i am dissatisfied with a signing when he plays against Spennymoor and looks like absolutely useless and unusable in the actual season....

I mean this is a forum after all but i forgot that this forum in particular requires you to blow smoke up each other's arse when you make an absolute meal out of and struggle with Spennymoor.....

You'll see in the end, so you just mind your p's and q's buster.

Just how can you form an opinion that we are going to have a terrible season and that Bates is completely out of his depth based on a game we won and could easily have scored 4 or 5 on another day?

Anderson looked dodgy as owt, yes. He also looked pretty competent against League 1 Sunderland the week before.

To judge people and our whole season based on 1 practise match is completely ridiculous.

Now that is complete and utter real TRIPE