IT'S a shame Peter Mandelson wasn't at the Fitness First stadium on Saturday; Hartlepool's Member of Parliament could have learned a thing or two about the art of spin.

Labour's annual conference ended in Bournemouth 48 hours before Pool's game on the south coast.

Mandelson was, apparently, "too busy" to stay on and watch his team. He is the club's Honary President and owns a big blue and white scarf, unless he forgot to get it back off Chris Turner when he handed it over after presenting Turner with the manager of the month award in January 2001.

If Mandelson was Labour's King of Spin in the 80s, Gavin Strachan is Pool's 2003 version. The midfielder put plenty of spin on the ball as he salvaged a point with time running out.

Strachan's spin and Mandy's spin are, of course, of a different nature.

And to the 200-or so fans who travelled almost 700 miles to watch their side on Saturday, there was only one version they are concerned with.

Mandleson's last visit to watch his team was a fleeting one a couple of seasons ago when he left before the end.

If the Right Honourable MP for Hartlepool had been there on Saturday and then left before the end, he would have missed Strachan's abject lesson in spin.

Trailing 2-1 with 90 minutes on the clock, Pool were awarded a set-piece right on the edge of the area. Strachan's name was the only one on everyone's lips. Micky Nelson and Ritchie Humphreys stood over it. There was only ever going to be one taker.

So with the keeper guarding the right and the wall supposedly taking care of the left, he bent it over and around the wall high into the net.

When it comes to spin, Strachan can't be beat. He could even push Alistair Campbell and Mandelson all the way.

This bender was identical to his efforts against Peterborough and Grimsby and remember only the width of a post stopped him netting at Bristol City.

Three goals from four is a record even David Beckham would be proud of.

"No keeper in the world would have saved it. He is making a habit of these sort of goals and there was no chance of Moss stopping it,'' bemoaned home boss Sean O'Driscoll.

And the amazing thing about it all? "He doesn't even practice them in training,'' confirmed Chris Westwood.

He added: "When we got the free-kick, I was stood on the halfway line by myself, looking at it and thinking 'Gavin, if there is ever a time we need you to score then it is now - this is it'.

"And then I can see the keeper there, can see where the wall was - and it was quite a big wall - and he's done very well to get it over the wall and under the bar.''

While Strachan earned a point, Nelson and Westwood again proved a tough nut to crack.

They nullified the threat of Steve Fletcher, Bournemouth's Hartlepool-born striker who carries his 6ft 2in, 14st 9lbs frame like a nightclub bouncer or a man carrying carpets under each arm.

Westwood, who challenged Fletcher for the majority of headers despite conceding three inches in height, added: "Aside from the two goals we defended very well and any team in the country, I don't care who they are, could have defended as well as we did for so long and not let the other team have couple of chances.

"I thought they were a little bit lucky with the first goal because it seemed to be going wide and then it hits the ground and spins into the back post. We were disappointed with the second one, but he still got the luck of the bounce and it fell for him.

"If we had come away from there with nothing, it would have been devastating. Instead, it's a very good point.''

Keeper Jim Provett has added some stability to the back line and Westwood added: "He's been unbelievable since he came in. Everything seems to stick in his hands.

"When we played onTuesday there was one shot came in and I expected him to push it away. Next thing I knew he kept hold of it and I was like 'yeah, nice one Jim'. We have a lot of belief in him and he showed again on Saturday what he is capable of. I know people might say he's a goalkeeper and that's what he gets paid to do, but they way he does it brings us so much confidence.'' Fifth top in Division Two, 20 points in the bag from 12 games and a Carling Cup win at Sheffield Wednesday means confidence couldn't be higher in the camp.

Mark Tinkler, 13 goals last season, emerged from a ruck of players more akin to the Rugby World Cup to notch his second this campaign.

Ritchie Humphreys' corner found Nelson at the far post and when his effort was blocked, Eifion Williams had a couple of goes before Tinkler emerged from the scrum to shoot high into the net. And from then on, Pool defended superbly. But there was a few chances for the visitors Substitute Marco Gabbiadini lobbed the ball over keeper Neil Moss and inches wide, but it was the other end where the majority were created.

And it was Derek Holmes, a former Pool transfer target and a player coached by Cooper at Ross County, who levelled.

A cross from the right was allowed to float over too easily and the striker's low, flicked header found the net.

A minute later, Westwood and Fletcher both missed a long ball launched from the back, Nelson failed to deal with it as his attempted header lacked weight and Warren Feeney nipped in to shoot low past Provett.

Just like last year, it looked as if Pool would see a one-goal lead at the Fitness First Stadium turned into a 2-1 reverse. But never ignore or underestimate the value of spin.