Extra training with Barron’s boys paying off for Clark
SINCE arriving at Hartlepool in
October 2004 from Sunderland,
Ben Clark has regularly been a
team-mate of Micky Barron.
Elder statesman of the side
and club captain Barron often
lined up alongside Clark in the
Pools back four.
In recent weeks, however,
Clark has seen a different side to
the club's new youth team coach.
As he made his return from injury,
the 25-year-old was putting
in extra work with the club's
youth side, coached by Barron.
"I've been training with the
youth team quite a bit and it's
been good, so I would like to
thank Micky for that,'' admitted
Clark, in line for a start at Crewe
this afternoon if Sam Collins
fails to recover from a calf injury.
"What's Micky like? Ruthless
- he's a hard taskmaster! But seriously,
it's been a good chance
for me to get in some hard work.
The lads have had games and had
days off on the back of that, so
I've had some decent sessions
there, it's been good.
"Hopefully now after a good
week of training I'm ready for the
Crewe game.''
Clark replaced Collins at the in
the second half last weekend,
when Pools went down 3-1 at
Tranmere, a result viewed by all
parties as harsh.
"That result last week can't
knock our confidence - we were
disappointed, but delighted with
the way we played the game,'' admitted
Clark.
"Of course we were sick with
the goals we conceded but we
played well. Micky (Nelson)
sliced one in off his shinpad and
it was one of those days.
"We were on top and could
have won it, but we paid the price
and they didn't even cause us
many problems.
"The lads have been fantastic
of late, it's a shame Sam had to
come off last weekend, but you
need to get chances. I felt alright
after last week, I've missed a lot
of games and a lot of training
and I went into that game last
week with just two weeks training
behind me.''
He added: "I think the fans appreciated
the efforts last weekend.
They could see what we
were trying to do. Even from the
bench in the first half I could see
what we were trying to do.
"Hopefully we can keep that
sort of performance up in the
next game as well. If we can just
tighten up at the back, we have
the players to score goals.
"We've played well in a lot of
games and lost - it's happened in
the majority of times this season.
But we keep playing our way, the
only way the gaffer wants to play,
and learn from it.
"Maybe this season has been a
bit of learning curve for us. We
have under-achieved a bit. We
have done well playing-wise but
we need that ruthlessness.''
Pools saw off Crewe 3-0 at Victoria
Park back in December, but
Wilson warned: "That result is
dead and buried now. It will have
no bearing on what is at stake
and there is a hell of a lot at stake
for both clubs.
"There is no doubt what they
have got to play for while we have
a bit of a carrot dangling in front
us by seeing where it takes us if
we win as many games as we can.
"They will be buoyant after a
great result in a big game at
Gillingham last week.
"We will have to see how they
react to coming out of a game
where so much was at stake.
"It gives them a little bit of
breathing space but they will be
back in it before they know it if
they start losing games and the
same applies to us.''
Barron's youth team yesterday
beat Burnley 5-4 on penalties to
win a place in the final of the
Youth Alliance League Cup
Northern Section. They will face
either Hull or Wigan in the final.
8:46am Saturday 22nd March 2008
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