Hartlepool Utd boss: let’s repeat Shrewsbury Town win with Tranmere Rovers

That was the simple message from Hartlepool United manager Colin Cooper ahead of Saturday’s Sky Bet League Two match with Tranmere Rovers at Victoria Park (KO 3pm), writes RICHARD MENNEAR.

It is consecutive home games for Pools, buoyed by last week’s 2-0 win over Shrewsbury, and Cooper is hoping for a similar performance and result come Saturday night.

Just a single point separates the two sides and with Tranmere scoring 10 but conceding the same amount it could be an entertaining encounter.

Cooper wants to see the same amount of effort, commitment and quality in order to build on the Town win - Pools’ first win on home soil this term.

“We have another chance to do it in front of our home fans,” said Cooper.

“The fans expectations will be they want to see that again, the players will want to repeat that and I will want them to repeat that.

“As long as the players realise that those things don’t happen by chance.

“They happen through hard work and good play and being positive and resolute and hard to beat while also being prepared to run beyond the opposition and make things hard for them.

“We spoke about the consistency last year, can we do it again and again?

“If we get a positive result on Saturday then our season will really be up and running.”

Cooper wants to see his team be positive from the off against Rob Edwards’ Rovers side, in the same way they did last weekend against Shrewsbury Town.

Pools are currently 18th in League Two, with six points from six games, while Rovers are 15th with seven points from their opening six matches.

Cooper added: “Tranmere have had a couple of good results and a couple where they’ve had their noses in front and then been turned over.

“Rob [Edwards] was very positive in the fact they are among the highest goalscorers in the division.

“They have scored 10 but conceded 10 and we have to go at the game positively and let’s turn our six points into nine and see what the league table looks like at the end of the day.

“But one thing they do is play good football.

“I would rather it be an ugly football match and we win!”

He added: “You have to be wary and understand if you allow a team to play they might really hurt you with a pass or a run.

“But what we have to be able to do is match them up and play our football when we have the chance and make sure they don’t have the time and space.

“There will be ebbs and flows in the game and hopefully we get a positive result.”

Goals from on-loan Middlesbrough striker Charlie Wyke and Brad Walker secured the three points last weekend and Cooper said he was “chuffed” with the win and the clean sheet.

Cooper added: “Shrewsbury had a smashing start to the season but we started the game really brightly.

“We saw last year that the group generally feels better when they are not chasing.

“The confidence you could see, it just flowed, the lads puffed their chests out, played better football and created chances.

“But looking back at the game Scott [Flinders] still had to make one or two saves.

“We are chuffed with the clean sheet and the two goals and we could have had two or three more but I won’t be greedy.

“Micky Mellon was very gracious saying we thoroughly deserved to win the game and that was nice to hear from an opposing manager and we have to try and repeat it.”

Pools: Flinders, Richards, Bates (C), Harrison, Austin, Brobbel, Miller, Walker, Compton, Wyke, Franks.

Subs (from): Dixon, Holden, Jones, Collins, Woods, Hawkins, Smith, Green, Harewood.