"A youthful Pools Reserve Team were beaten 3-0 in the Central League at Bradford City on Tuesday afternoon.
Matthew Bates’ line-up was predominantly made up of Youth Team players but they gave a decent account of themselves against The Bantams despite the scoreline.
City went in front on twelve minutes when Ellis Hudson delivered a low cross in to the area for Joel Grodowski to convert from close range.
German youngster Grodowski then turned provider for the home side, setting up strike partner Kai Bruenker to double the lead just before half time.
Sam Collins’ Bradford side then made sure of the Central League points on 75 minutes when Matthew Birchall reacted quickest in the area to score a third City goal after a blocked shot fell in to his path.
The result could have been more emphatic for Bradford but for several good saves from in-form goalkeeper Ryan Catterick, while Hudson also hit the bar as the home side put on the pressure.

Full Time: Bradford City 3 Pools 0

Pools: Catterick, Pritchard, Owen, Bayne, Holliday, Boyle, Weirs, Orrell, Short, Hawkes, Travers.
Subs not used: Lawrence, Stephenson."

More to the point, how come only Catterick and Hawkes out of Pools' remaining 20-man squad needed a run out before Saturday?

Then again, the likes of George and Ledger seem to pick up injuries every time they go near grass, so it's probably just as well.

Bradford were just over 1/2 an all. Made up for not being able to win owt on us getting beat Saturday gone.

Well even if Hawkes had scored a hat trick he wouldn't of started at Barrow. Wonder what the players have done in training this week , if they have been training.

I still believe Sam Collins would have done a good job as manager at Pools, but we will never get to find out now.

Letting Collins go was a mistake, he gave the young players a chance. Might be Bradford boss soon as McCall sacked.

Anyway of the 22 squad

George, Donaldson, Oates, Richardson, Cunningham, Donnelly, Ledger were all injured last game and Bates never plays anymore. So 2 of the 14 were playing and can't be risking anymore. Sorry state.

According to Harrison last Friday he thought 4 on the injured list might be fit for the Barrow game as they had no match last weekend:

"This time now gives the likes of Liam to get back fit,” said Harrison. “I would hope, by the time the next game comes around, we will have Luke George, Ryan Donaldson and Rhys Oates back fit, too.”

Donnelly has at leas played fairly recently but you'd have thought if any one of George, Donaldson or Oates were on the way back, 45 minutes in the reserve game would have made sense.

When has Harrison done anything that made any sense?

I said at the time that Sam Collins should of been given a chance when we had that little run under him he seems to know what he's doing management wise he played for us for many years, knows the club behind the scenes yet we seem to take the hard option all the time id have him over Harrison any day off the week.

Yes Harrison snapped up the ludicrous offer of a three year fcukin contract which made perfect sense even to that numpty.

Can't agree about Collins. For a start he was unprofessional, two timing his girlfriend with that lass up at Durham. You cant do things like that and give your undivided attention to the job. Yes Collins usually did well when given the job as caretaker, but I put that down to him just been one of the lads, and the lads give their all for their mate. I'm sure if he had been given the job full time he would of been a disaster.

If you got rid of all the two-timing footballers for being unprofessional you'd be left with a single division of ten teams and all of them would be struggling to fill the subs bench.

The secret is, not to get caught. Collins got caught, Hignett got caught speeding, as did Bates. If you want success you need good people at the helm , or at least people who can keep their personal sh*t separate from the job.

Its no surprise then that the last 5 years have been a car crash.