PREVIEW: Hartlepool

Swindon Town travel to Victoria Park to take on Hartlepool United.

Both teams secured promotion back to League One last season with both teams meeting on the first day of the season at Victoria Park in League 2 last season.

Town would win their first game of the season thanks to Slovakian goalkeeper Peter Brezovan who was making his Swindon Town first team debut.

Vital Quotes:

“That was the most pleasing thing of the whole game. He had a slight thigh strain at half-time but he didn’t want to come off and showed a real determination to do well today. He has a lot more ability than perhaps people will have seen before and it was a solid performance from him.”

Swindon Town’s Kevin Summerfield On Billy Paynter’s first 90 minutes in a Swindon shirt

Hartlepool United Team News:

Hartlepool have got off to a flying start in League One this season and currently sit 5th in the League One Table. Hartlepool lost 2-0 at surging Leeds United last Saturday infront of a Football League record attendance for this season. Pools midfielder Lee Bullock has joined Mansfield Town on loan for a month. Jan Budtz will start in goal for Hartlepool after long time goalkeeper Dimi Konstantopoulos signed for Coventry City in the Summer.

Player to watch: Andy Monkhouse

Monkhouse arrived at Swindon under former boss Dennis Wise prior to last season. When Wise left and Monkhouse got injured Paul Sturrock decided to ship Monkhouse out on loan. He unded up at Hartlepool and wow did he make an impact. Pools were midtable at best without Monkhouse and climbed the table with him in the team. Pools boss Danny Wilson would pay an undisclosed sum to keep Monkhouse at Hartlepool. Sturrock had stated that Monkhouse had spent most of his career injured. Monkhouse would score the winner against Swindon at the County Ground soon after the transfer.

Swindon Town Team News:

Swindon Town lost to Yeovil Town 1-0 last Sunday on Sky Sports 1. Town currently sit 11th but have had trouble scoring goals. The clubs new owners aim to win promotion to the Championship this season so this trend must reverse itself quick. Billy Paynter is questionable after a thigh strain. Andy Nicholas, Ady Williams and Barry Corr are all sidelined with injuries.

Player to watch: Simon Cox

on loan Reading striker Simon Cox bragged how he was pretty much ‘the next big thing’ and told a local newspaper ‘If I don’t start I will be knocking on the managers door to find out why’ however 10 minutes on the pitch showed why he wasn’t starting the game. Apparently at Reading they do not teach passing in training and Cox would waste chance after chance. Should Cox start as he will want to, we are hopeful that the coaching staff at the County Ground have taught Cox how to distribute the ball and how to hold onto to the ball.

Match Facts & Stats

Swindon Town started the League Two campaign last season at Hartlepool. Peter Brezovan would save 2 penalties in the game whilst Town would win 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Lee Peacock. Hartlepool got one back over Swindon at the County Ground when former Town player Andy Monkhouse scored for the Pools and started running his mouth off to the Town End.

Match Prediction:

Hartlepool 2-1 Swindon Town. Swindon Town have yet to prove their new strikers can do the business. We are hopeful ofcourse they can however enough people choosing the Swindon Town first team right now we will not make any suggestions on team selection.

Next Fixtures:

Coca Cola League One: Swindon Town V AFC Bournemouth 3pm Kick Off at the County Ground in Swindon.