A WEEK to the season, and Colin Cooper will be out to improve his side in strength, numbers and quality in the next week.
Because in four pre-season games against professional opposition this summer, they have notched just one scrambled goal from then on-trial Nialle Rodney. The problem that dogged them for the last two seasons remains.
Cooper has spoke regularly about the need to boost his ranks and add some quality. With seven days before their season starts, he will be out to move quickly.
He did have one new and extra addition on show in last night's 1-0 defeat to Preston. Christian Burgess was given a chance as a second-half substitute after he played for Middlesbrough at Rotherham last week.
Cooper revealed that Burgess is set to sign a loan deal until Christmas at Victoria Park, while teenage midfielder Bradley Walker, who started last night’s game in central midfield, had been offered a professional contract.
Right-back Michael Duckworth, on the books of Bradford Park Avenue was solid in a second-half outing.
But there was no Steve Howard in last night’s squad, the striker left out by Cooper, which means his pre-season consists of half a game at Whitby and ten minutes against Boro and his future - either at Victoria Park or away from the club - is set to be resolved in the coming days.
Pools conceded a penalty for the only goal on 21 minutes, Jack Baldwin penalised for pulling back Graham Cummins in the area.
And, while Scott Flinders saved from the spot against Boro six days earlier, this time he went the wrong way as Joe Garner drilled this one low.
They almost levelled when Peter Hartley, again playing left-back, played into the area and James Poole shot over from a decent position.
Then Antony Sweeney, Pools’ new skipper, missed his connection inside the six-yard area after an inviting ball from Jack Compton.
It looked like their standard problem of scoring would hurt them. And so it proved.
Early into the second half, Compton was fouled.
The winger took the penalty, but fired too close to keeper Thorsten Stuckmann, who kept it out.
Peter Hartley sent a header wide from a corner, Poole again was wayward.
Pools sold 3325 season tickets at £150 by yesterday’s 4pm cut off point, although the deal could be extended.


Pools: Flinders; Austin (Duckworth 60), Collins (Burgess 69), Baldwin, Hartley; Sweeney (Franks 70), Walker; Compton, Poole (Richards 88); Monkhouse, James (Rodney 70). Subs: Walton, Rafferty (gk), Franks, Holden.
Attendance: 829