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Hartlepool United 2 - 1 Bournemouth

Recalled Clark makes the most of a rare Saturday call

SATURDAY at 3pm may not mean a game of football to everyone, just ask Ben Clark.

Middlesbrough may play at every time bar the time-honoured slot and the Hartlepool United midfielder has been in the same boat.

This weekend was the first time since August 6 - the opening day of the season - Clark had started a Saturday game at the traditional hour for Pool.

Beginning the season in the team has never proved a problem for the former England under-19 skipper, staying in it has.

He started the two of the first three games of Sunderland's 2003 campaign and kicked off the next season in the side at Coventry but made just eight starts on Wearside before moving to Pool.

Even at Victoria Park, he's found a regular slot hard to come by.

But, with Mark Tinkler injured and forced out of the game with Bournemouth, Clark started.

If he keeps this sort of performance up, there's no way he will be sat on the sidelines much longer.

Given Tinkler's holding role in midfield, Clark's zest and energy set the tone from the off as Pool won a game they could ill-afford to lose after three successive home defeats and with tricky back-to-back away games looming.

While the main role may be stopping opposition attacks, Clark took it on himself to start his fair share of Pool moves to boot.

"I just want a run in the team, it's hard to get in with Tinks and Sweens (Antony Sweeney) playing well together, but Tinks was injured so I got a chance,'' he said. "Now I just want to stay in the team for Walsall.

"I've had a bit of bad luck this year when I have played - I was sent off at Scunthorpe, which was harsh, and missed three games.

"We've a big squad here and you have to be patient. Players are still injured - we've still got 50 goals on the sidelines - so we need to get those back and Tommy Butler as well and things will be better.

"As a team, we've been up and down all season and we need to find that consistency now, starting at Walsall on Saturday.''

He added: "I think that's the first time I've played at 3 o'clock on a Saturday since the opening day of the season, so I've had to wait for a chance.

"But the gaffer just told me go take it and hopefully I've done enough to stay in there.

"Obviously I haven't played too many games this season and I was shattered towards the end, so I had to come off.''

And as he went off, on came another outsider to the fold, as Darrell Clarke made his first Pool appearance since the Bristol City play-off semi-final of 2004 after a endless run of knee trouble.

By then, Pool were defending their 2-1 advantage, which came courtesy of a Steven Istead header and a confident run and finish by Dean McDonald.

"I thought Ben was magnificent,'' added boss Martin Scott. "His workrate and effort was different class. His commitment in training has been different class. It would have been easy for him to throw his toys out of the pram and he hasn't.

"Instead he's been knocking on my door asking for a chance. I told him to keep doing what he had been doing and his chance would come.

"Credit to the lads who have kept him out the side, they've done well. But three midfielders were injured and he came in. He certainly took his chance."

With Istead, Clark and Hugh Robertson all back in the side, the changes certainly paid dividend for Scott.

Only on one occasion this season has the boss named the same team as the previous game, the changes have been through choice or necessity. Saturday was perhaps a touch of both.

Robertson brought some balance to the left, dovetailing nicely with Ritchie Humphreys and delivering dead balls like only he can.

Istead, all 5ft 8in of him, had already headed one over the bar when he put Pool into the lead.

Robertson's corner was headed on by Neill Collins, nodded back across goal by Sweeney and Istead got there to outjump Neil Young and give Pool the lead their opening play deserved.

It was Istead's 72nd appearance for Pool, since his first outing on Boxing Day 2002, but only his fifth start. His selection may have suprised a few of the 3,755 crowd but there could be few arguments after a solid and disciplined performance. Saturday at Walsall should be start No 6.

McDonald cracked a post before his first Pool goal. Dimi Konstantopoulos' kicks may not have been true on Saturday, but his booming kick was nodded on by Chris Llewellyn into his strike partner's path.

A good touch took him across two defenders on the edge of the area and he shot confidently under keeper Gareth Stewart.

Steven Foley's steered volley reduced the gap and Pool had a little over 20 minutes to keep their 2-1 lead.

That was something Bournemouth couldn't manage in injury time last season at Victoria Park, as last-gasp Micky Nelson and Andy Appleby goals turned the game around.

The odd scare aside, two coming within minutes of Foley's goal, caused worries, but Pool saw it out.

"As a team we probably played better on Tuesday, but it's all about taking chances,'' said Clark. "The fans have been patient and hopefully we sent them all home happy on Saturday."