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Next Game: Home Against Farsley Celtic On Saturday March 23rd Kick-Off 3.00pm

Thursday, August 24, 2006

Preview: Bulls vs Hartlepool

The Bulls entertain Hartlepool United for the first time since 1999, when an FA Cup second round game brough the Sky cameras to Edgar Street.

Rob Elmes gave the Bulls a 1-0 win on the day in front of just under 5,000 fans. The last League meetings between the sides came in 1996, with Hartlepool gaining a double for the 96/97 season with wins in September and December, but the Bulls won in March and April to record a double for the 95/96 season. The Bulls retain the lead overall, with 18 wins to 10 and seven draws.

The Bulls, fresh from an anything-but-lucky win over Coventry in the Carling Cup, have been something of a Jeckyll and Hyde side so far this season. A win-loss-win-loss sequence so far this season needs to be broken with a good performance against Hartlepool. The loss of Simon Osborn will be a blow to the side, but manager Graham Turner is still intent on bringing a midfielder to the club before the deadline in a weeks time.

Hartlepool enjoyed their own Carling Cup success over a higher graded side, beating 10-man Burnley 1-0, but needed a penalty to decide the match. They have scored just one goal in four league outings, conceding seven times, and recruiting a striker is manager Danny Wilson's top priority but it is unlikely to happen before the weekend. One player to come in is former Cardiff midfielder Willie Boland, who played more than 200 times for the Bluebirds before being freed in the summer.

Hereford United vs Hartlepool United, Edgar Street, Saturday August 26th, 3.00pm.