Well its my first post on the bunker, i'm sure a few of you know me from rivals so here goes.
Hope its not too long as i do tend to drone on a bit!!

Well there were only 121 of us hardy poolies at the game last night i thought i'd give you a bit of a match report and the general feeling from last nights game.
I've been to Oldham a few times now, i once vowed never to go again in the last few weeks of Scott's reign when i've never been so cold at a football match, but as one steward put it last night it was virtually tropical at Boundary Park last night.
Pools lined up in their usual 4-4-2 formation and to be fair to Turner, he's options were limited to say the least. McCunnie at full back, Humps on the left, Collins and Nelse. Two defensive holding players in the middle with Clark and Lidds, Jones and Robson trying to provide width, with Mackay and David (5ft4 but adored by the victoria park faithful - quote from the Sun) up front.
Everyone of those 121 poolies didn't expect much from that line up - we weren't let down. To be fair to Pools they were game battlers in that first half, they covered ground, closed down, and tried to play passing football. But with (in my opinion) two Northern league footballers up front and a midfield that lacked any forward creative spark it was always going to be an alamo job with two banks of four. Robson's directness was about our only outlet in that first half and it was he who probably had our best chance but for some reason he decided to unselfishly square the ball to Mackay instead of taking the shot on - by then we were one nil down and it could have been worse.
In fact pools could have been 1-0 down after 10 secs, a direct attack straight from kick off saw Hughes have a fierce snap shot that ALB did well to cover. That set the scene for the next half hour, Oldham were full of invent, stroking the ball from side to side and had willing runners from midfield in Taylor and the bald Whittaker (formally of Macc) who basically ran the show from centre mid. Windass had a free role and linked up their intricate forward play - but to be honest didn't look like the season turning signing he's supposed to be and in no way shape or form did he deserve to be man of the match (but how many times have we said that of Ritcie and Nelse!)
However, for all their probing and possesion, pools held resolute and by the 20th minute had quitened the home crowd (especially their fcuking drummer!!), so with oldham running out of ideas - we thought it would be generous to gift them the opening goal. Quelle suprise!! The terms "daft mistake" and "just one of those things" apply generally to mistakes that are one off's, but they just happen week in week out where pools are concerned and are the bane of our season. Nelson and Collins were majestic against Stoke - high balls pumped in from all angles are meat and drink to the pair of them - especially Nelson, but when the plaudits and camera shutters have stopped its what happens on a Monday night in greater manchester that counts, and Nelson made an absolute hash of an attempted clearance of a cross to land the ball at a grateful and slightly bemused Hughes who nevertheless accepted his belated xmas gift and stuck it in the net. Too many mistakes, too often. Time to act Turner. I don't think Nelson and Collins can play together when you have a team playing proper football in front of them, a team that try and thread balls through you and get behind you and not simply lump it forward to some overpriced foreigner. Soon after this Windass hit the bar with a scorching free kick and although Pools had a few forays late on we were all thankfull that it was only 1-0 at half time but asking each other where an equaliser might come from. To term Foley and Mackay's performance as "ineffectual" is being polite, i'm not getting at them - i just don't think they are good enough for this standard of football. It is blindingly obvious to say that we missed Porter last night, but what we did miss from Porter more than anything else was not his trickery and flashes of brilliance but his general hold up play. The ball would be played forward and too often both forwards were muscled of the ball. Simple things like sticking your arse into an opponent and getting your arms out to make yourself wide - neither foley or mackay did with regularity.

Anyhow half time - a plastic bottle of carling at £2:80 did little to quell my internal and we took our seats expecting to have a closer view of Oldham's assault on ALB's sticks. Again Oldham flew out of the traps, pressuring Pools and forcing numerous corners. a snap shot from the edge of the box was turned past the post by Barret but from the resultant corner Nelson's clearing header only found their full back who finished sublimely with a shot back across ALB who had no chance. Game Over we all thought, pools might sneak a daft one but on this performance and personal would have no chance of getting two. Robson had a mazy run and shot straight from our kick off but the next 10 minutes saw Oldham take the game at a leusirely "training ground" pace.

The Pools fans had been giving Monkhouse a good reception everytime he had warmed up down in our corner, and it was his introduction that gave us a glimmer of hope. Personally i'm really disappointed in "monkey" this season, from being one of our brightest assets last term with sparkling displays on the left and in particular great link up play Porter he has been lacklustre and a malcontent all year. Whether or not it was the ruputed spats with Wilson, or seeing his place being usurped by the amazing improvement of Robson - he generally seems, well, "not arsed". His "I told you so" gesture to the bench after we'd scored shows he doesn't lack confidence - lets just hope we see a change in attitude from him as well. Hopefully that might change after last night. Quite a few people i've spoken to have advocated the use of Monkhouse as an option up front in this injury crisis. His height and all round savvy are surely a better option than at least one raw kid - and so it proved. A throw in landed at his feet, he held the ball up from the centre back, feigned to go one way then played a defense splitting ball inside the full back which Robson drilled over at pace which then flew in the back of the net from the outside of Oldhams other full back.
2-1, and suddenly we had purpose and an outlet. Tackles were crisper, Robson was full of running and "skinned" their full back numerous times. Our final ball let us down a few times but at least we were now in the match. Monkhouse was drawing fouls and relieving the pressure on the beleagured back four. Problem is, we just didn't have enough to grab an equaliser, Lidds and Clark are basically the same player - its a shame that Liddle's attacking intent has been stripped from him - but for whatever reason its gone and we are lacking an attacking midfielder to supplement whatever forward line we have. Felt a bit sorry for Ritchie Jones in the second half. In the 1st half he'd been full of running and helping out McCunnie but in the second he never saw the ball as everyone tried to feed Robson - at least the heart was there, hopefully the confidence will return if people get off his back at home.
Six minutes to go saw the introduction of Jonny Rowell for Jones. His first pass was an attempted cross field ball for Robson that was picked off, but his second was the exactly the sort of thing we've been missing. Driving from his own half he played a weighted ball with the outside of his left foot, again inside the full back, which Robson gleefully ran on to. Robson teased the full back - again - and his pull back was sliced by Gregan into the side netting. Hands on Heads from pools players, sigh of relief from the ex darlo captain who never seems to enjoy his games against us.

Final whistle, guess you should always look at the positives first. At least everyone was played in position to start with. Hopefully Wilson's tinkering that caused the collapse in confidence of many of our current crop has gone with him down to Wiltshire. Robson was our MOM and from being one of his biggest detractors from day one i will gladly eat humble pie in abundance. Monkhouse up front is now defo an option and Turner admitted post match that he had thought about it from the off, porter and Monky up front anyone?? A cameo from Jonny Rowell is not enough, i'd like to see him given 5 matches in the side. I can understand Turner's reluctance to blood the 4 lads Pools gave contracts to in the summer when confidence is low. in an ideal world we'll be safe from the drop with 5 or 6 games to spare and then Tymon, Tait, Young, and Rowell should be given those games. But a lot of Poolies are of the opiniion that Rowell's youth and willingness to try defence splitting passes is exactly what we are missing.

Negatives - Defence has got to be sorted, daft mistakes are now commonplace and the malaise can only be stopped with ruthless action i reckon. If Leicester are willing to offer a substantial sum for Nelson i'd take it. With a confident footballing centre half next to him like Tunchev he'll look like a world beater again but we need to do something at the moment to halt the horrendous amount of goals we are shipping. Humps is limited at left back, a decent winger has his life but he'll give you his all, McCunnie also is limited and short on confidence after being another mishandled by Wilson. Collins is club captain and won't be dropped - even though some of his performances this term have warranted it. I think Liddle could be the answer at centre half or full back, he's not the answer at centre mid.

Solutions - Stop Press. Turner has said 4 players in by Friday. I think the fact we have put a bid in for Duffy is now an open secret, as for the others, maybe ?Peter Hartley from Sunderland ressies on loan. Has spent time on loan at Chesterfield last season and can play full back or centre half. Maybe a keeper as both ALB (didn't have a bad game last night) and Budtz have shown they are too inconsistant and prone to gaffs. Any chance Adam Boyd? Currently derided at Orient and if we signed him on loan he'd surely knuckle down to try and earn a move back north. Also Andy Bishop, prolific at York and Bury - has said that he won't sign a new contract at Bury and wants to play at a higher level - wheteher we are high enough for him remains to be seen.

On a lighter note, it was a good laugh and banter at Oldham last night. We had Ritchie Jones family sat in front of us and i apologised to ??Ritchie's mam for the foul language (mainly eminating from me it has to be said) that went on. "i enjoyed that more than the match" was her reply!
Also a special mention for ??Ritchies wife/gf/other half - Ritchie - Good Work Fella!!!! The lads all want to know if she'll be going to Stockport away in a few weeks time. When times are hard, performances are lacking, and your warming your hands and wondering what you are doing so far from home its always pleasing to have a superb bit of eye candy sat in front of ya to take your mind off it!!

Bring on the 'ammmers (just hope they've sold Bellamy by then!)

Good grief. Can't we have a precis, Ritchie?

Thought the whole point of a match report is to report on your opinion of what happened, if its too long for ya then simply don't read it.

No, it's very nice
I was just agreeing with you

Excellent first post Mr Birthmark. Here's hoping you will report from more matches hopefully with better performances and results.

Was Jones' mother the lady down the front with the brown coat on?

What's with the ?

The only reason I'd throw a towards Jones's mum is due to the lucky cow sitting next to Jones's missus all game!

First post? You can't half waffle on! I bet you can still play a bit though?

Yeah that was her in the brown coat, I'm assuming it was his mam as they looked very similar. I wonder if Ritchie J's mam has a turn of pace and a keen eye for goal as well. The two lookers in their 20's i think were jones's sister and his other half.

~So Obefemi's Obsession, when exactly have you kicked me a height on a sunday morning??

I'm too slippery for you sonner!

You running

I can't believe no one has told you to welcome to the board after reading that.