The Poolie Bunker

Boro have sold out.

Just had to wait 10 minutes online for tickets so hopefully good game/ good crowd.

what time is kick off as radio tees list it as 6pm.

I'm sure on another post it was 7pm.

7pm

They have only signed a couple of players so its a 3-0 win to pools.

I'm going for a Pools 6 nil victory (ala Manure circa '86) Reid will be Paul Dobson with 4!

What's wrong with their fans.
Took 7500 to Rangers.
They reckon will 3000 sell out at Millwall.

That teesside beer must be awful

3 2 to Pools.

3125.

be a shock if they hadn,t sold out. some will have a shorter journey to the vic than many poolies.

I think it was Kevin Dixon who got an hat-trick.

Boro team on the echo website

I stand corrected, it was Kevin Dixon

Looks like Archie Mair in goal?

Anyone at the game or watching some other way? Whats occuring? Is it a strong Boro side or mainly kids? Are Pools doing ok or on the back foot? Any saves or near misses? All contributions gratefull received.

watch here

https://www.mfc.co.uk/live/videos/a3460 ... 5c033fda54

Cheers for that

Great stuff. Many thanks.

Id say so, also looks like Neil McDonald in the dugout with Grayson.

Started well but in 2nd half buffering made this unwatchable.

Benn and Toppalaj look very promising

Its fine here

Reid not playing---lets hope he isnt injured....cant believe we are still playing trialists in goal 10 days before the season starts..

I was impressed with the two new centre halves, Kuogun looks very decent. Charman seemed well up for it, plenty of running in him.

1-1 final score, decent run out, only negative was the trialist keeper never really got tested, so difficult to tell how he reacts under pressure.

Pools seemed solid and attacked at pace. Only a pre season friendly I know but maybe some promising signs.

In the late stages it looked like if anyone was going to win it then it was Pools. Some good performances Benn was good as were the two new centre backs. think Johnson looks a real fox in the box 4 in pre season good start.

Good game pools so much better and faster than last season.

4150

Boro 1952

Good to hear--having some pace about us is very welcome !

Yeah, I can see him hitting 20+ this season,.

Thought we looked pretty good. Standouts were the wingbacks Benn & Topalloj, Francis looked like a handful when he came on. Defensively solid and think it looks much better than last season. Johnson took his chance but lacked any real creativity in midfield. Campbell offered very little and Charman ran around a lot but no end product. Hopefully Daly can make a difference when he gets fit and having Reid up with Johnson will give us someone who can win and hold the ball up.

Boro had a few really good young players so overall a decent game and challenge.

I'd say barring any major injuries then the squad is a slight upgrade than last season and the Manager a Deffo upgrade on the ones from last season.

Only friendlies but the team spirit also seems like an upgrade.

All these little upgrades are given me a upgrade in me optimism.

I'm Gunna be really stupid now and predict a top 7 finish.

UTP.

Boro U21 side plus 3-4 first teamers. Pools looked Solid.

If you need another midfielder I’ll drop Barlaser off for you later.

it would not take much for us to be better in all respects than 12 months ago with that chancer in charge.

No predictions or expectations from me until I see them play a few games against NL opposition.
But what I would say is that a slight improvement in results last season would have had us close to or in the play offs. Can we actually make that potential improvement a reality?

It will be a Major upgrade WHEN we get a decent keeper in.

Saw the Boro goal, Where the hell was Smith, Totally out of position and he is the Keeper coach.
If he is the No1 next season then kiss goodbye to any thoughts to the POs.

need to turn all those draws into more wins. its the drawn games that killed us more than any defeat did. you do not have to be brilliant to reach the play offs as i do not think we actually where last time we made them. its how we finished that season and going into them that got us promoted. the team was not exactly great at the start of that season.

do not get smith. he had some really decent games last season but we knew in the end a real nightmare was just around the corner. not just a killip type of mistake per game but a real nightmare. problem is with keeprs there are no steady eddie types about who do there job but would never get on a save of the season video. now they make them and next minute they make a stupid error.

Every keeper at this level has a clanger in them, all the steady eddie types are playing higher up the pyramid

Watching the highlights the keeper in the first nearly gifted Boro a goal after failing to control a pass back then dropped a shot which was straight at him.

It's the long time since the Town End had that many in - with Pools fans.

Agree Smith's positioning for that first goal was poor, the lad Finch is predominantly left footed, he had a defender on his right side so could only shoot with his left, therefore covering the near post was primary as to shoot across goal was much more difficult, a good keeper would've realised that.

A good keeper would know that, Lost his positioning, Not to worry the GK coach will put him right.