Tom Crawford believes Hartlepool United can be confident heading into Sutton United clash after Tranmere Rovers success

Tom Crawford believes Hartlepool United can be confident heading into this afternoon’s fixture with bogey team Sutton United.
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Pools’ record against Sutton does not make for the best of reading with them recording just one win in nine meetings, that coming through Rhys Oates’ header at the Suit Direct Stadium in January last year.

Instead, it is the U’s who tend to favour this fixture including earlier this season when Ben Goodliffe’s goal separated the two teams back in September.

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But Pools arrive this afternoon in good spirits having earned their third straight win in midweek with a 1-0 success over Tranmere Rovers.

Tom Crawford is enjoying a good run in the Hartlepool United first team. (Credit: Will Matthews | MI News)Tom Crawford is enjoying a good run in the Hartlepool United first team. (Credit: Will Matthews | MI News)
Tom Crawford is enjoying a good run in the Hartlepool United first team. (Credit: Will Matthews | MI News)

And Crawford, who is enjoying a strong run in Graeme Lee’s starting line-up recently, believes his side can go into the game without the fear of past meetings haunting them.

“We’ve got a bit more confidence than when we usually play them,” the 22-year-old admitted.

“It’ll be a bit more similar to the second half [against Tranmere] I imagine. They’ll put the ball on you and they’ll make you defend.

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“They’re very good at what they do, you can’t really have any qualms about what they do because it’s clearly working for them because they’re in the play-off places so it’ll be exactly the same.”

Tom Crawford believes Hartlepool United can be confident heading into Sutton United clash. Picture by FRANK REIDTom Crawford believes Hartlepool United can be confident heading into Sutton United clash. Picture by FRANK REID
Tom Crawford believes Hartlepool United can be confident heading into Sutton United clash. Picture by FRANK REID

Should Pools find a fourth straight win in the league it could move Lee’s side into the top half of the table and allow Crawford and his teammates to harbour ambitions of a run towards the play-off places themselves in the remainder of the campaign.

And Tuesday night’s victory over automatic promotion chasing Tranmere is evidence enough for Crawford his side have what it takes.

“As we've seen, we can deal with it and if we put our bodies on the line and win second balls we can see what we can do,” said Crawford.

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“We’ve got lads on the pitch who can create a bit of magic. Mols and Boges are doing well so we’ve just got to be confident in ourselves.

“But three wins on the bounce I don’t see why we can’t be confident. I just think we need to be looking up and not behind.”

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