2016/17 Prediction League; Game 18 v Hartlepool Utd (away)

Div3North · 20-11-2016, 23:04

Hartlepool United FC

V

Accrington Stanley

2016/17 Prediction League; Game 18 v Hartlepool (away)

Form team? Over the last seven matches it’s Carlisle (W6 D1 = 19 points), with Donnie and Plymouth at 5-1-1(16 points); over the last three, though, it’s Newport – P3 W3 (3-1 at ours, 2-0 at home to Carlisle, and 3-0 yesterday at Notts County) – and out of the bottom two, over Colchester on GD and Exeter by 1 point ................. three games in to the season Colchester were second on GD, below Luton and above Mansfield ...........they haven’t won in the League since 10th September, and have just four points from their last ten games (no wins) ................ Exeter have started running the clock on Paul Tisdale’s contract, which is a rolling two years; he isn’t for the chop yet (it says here!) and a new contract could always be negotiated, but 16 points in 17 games and bottom place in League Two suggests that his tenure, which started in 2006, is no longer as secure as it was ................. And us? Lost three straight (two at home) and now perching uncomfortably in 15th place (W5 D5 L7 GF19 GA22), just three points above the playoff places ........ 8 points now cover every team from Blackpool (nice goal, Tom Aldred!) in 7th to Exeter in 24th ................and while we’re on Former Players, Bohan Dixon seems to be playing well for AFC Fylde, who beat Boston Utd 9-2 at home (where they haven’t yet lost) to consolidate top spot in the Conference North.

They got rid of eight in the summer, did the MonkeyHangers, with defenders Michael Duckworth, Dan Jones and Harry Worsley moving on to Fleetwood, Grimsby and SalfordTeamOf92City respectively, MFs Kudus Oyenuga to Greenock Morton and Ebby Nelson-Addy (for a minute I thought that said “Nelson Eddy” – as in “the Iron Virgin and the Singing Capon”, as he and Jeanette McDonald were unkindly known) who’s gone to Worcester, and forwards Scott Fenwick and Rakesh Bingham, now gracing The Playing Fields of York and Hamilton ....... Eleven signed up, including defender Toto Nsiala, who managed to get sent off in consecutive games at the end of August (at home to Newport in the League on the 27th, and away at Notts County in the FLTrophy on the 31st) and Striker Podge Amond, both from Grimsby, Rochdale’s Lewis Alessandra, forward Jake Orrell from Chesterfield (or was it Jake Chesterfield from Orrell?), Liam Donnelly, a defender from Fulham and Nicky Deverdics (very careful how you pronounce that!) from Dover, plus some others who you’ll never have heard of (but then, they’ve probably never heard of you .................)

Last season we did the double over them – winning 3-1 at home (one from Rhino, two from Shay McCartan) and 2-1 away (Conneely on 3 and Fosu-Henry on 45); both their goals were scored by Rakesh Bingham, and he’s now in Scotland (see “Hamilton” above); over the years since we’ve been back the head-to-head is three wins each and two draws ........... their leading scorers are the afore-mentioned Padraig Amond (who said he’d “found his level” in the Conference?) and Nathan Thomas with seven each, followed by Lewis Crewe Alexandra with three ...... as well as the 26 they’ve scored in the League (they’ve conceded 30!), they’ve managed another two in the EFLTroffey, three in the FA Cup – a first round win over Stamford which gives them Port Vale at home in round two – and none in the EFLCup (0-1 to PNE) .................22 games, 31 scored, 36 conceded ............ overall, their League record is P17 W4 D7 L6 for 19 points and 18th place; they’re on a GD of -4 (we’re -3, Cambridge are -5, Colchester, Exeter and Notts County are -6, Crawley are -7 and Morecambe (Bless!) are on -13); at home they’ve won one, drawn five and lost two, the win being in their most recent home game, 2-0 over Cheltenham ........... Invincible they ain’t, then ............ if we can manage to score! (one goal and one point in our last four League games)

Deadline for entries is, as always, scheduled kick-off time, which is 19.45 hours on Tuesday 22nd November ..............I gather that Saturday’s home defeat by our nemesis was a Game Of Two Halves, and that once again we were, for periods of the game, All Over Them Like A Rash ..............that’s fine and dandy, but if you don’t score, as a Wise Man once said, you won’t win ............sorry for the Truism, Mr C, but some of us out here are beginning to twitch. Just a Little!

Good luck to everyone! ........... Keep the Faith! ............. And thanks for playing!