HUFC asks fans for help in clearing pitch

Let it snow?
By Albatross
February 21 2005

It's all hands on deck again: Hartlepool United have appealed for fans to help clear the snow that's fallen on Victoria Park over the weekend. Will the game with Brentford go ahead? There's five no doubt cold walkers hoping that it will....

While the club has appealed for help in clearing the stadium, the main threat may not be so much a snow-bound pitch as waterlogging as and when the snow melts - but either way, clearing the snow is essential for the game to go ahead.

If the match does take place, Pools will go into it with a much more positive frame of mind following yet another 1-0 away win. While Vale fans have hardly been fulsome in their praise for Pools, the fact of the matter is that we did enough to take another three points and shut out an admittedly struggling side; pretty football is all very well, but especially away from home it's the result that's the thing. A couple of 1-0 victories in games we ended up losing earlier in the season would have us into the top three rather than looking to overtake Sheffield Wednesday into 4th place.

Even so, Pools are continuing to demonstrate that last season's success was no flash in the pan - and victory even when missing three players who'd expect to be in the first team in Tinkler, Westwood and Robertson is not to be sneezed at. Revenge over Brentford would cement our place in the playoff zone, with the Bees wanting the three points to improve their own playoff chances. Both sides may be feeling a little leg-weary at the moment - possibly Pools more than Brentford, who at least had a break in midweek - but the effort being put in at Victoria Park suggests that we'd prefer to get the game played rather than store it up for later in the season. Martin Allen may feel slightly differently though - the water in the river that he's swum across before the last two Vic Park encounters may be just a little on the chilly side at the moment.

The five intrepid Brentford Walkers will be keeping their fingers crossed as well. They are due to reach Stockton this evening - snow and sore limbs permitting - and while they will still have raised their money, the reward they would really want at this point is to have a game to see tomorrow night!