HARTLEPOOL United return to the scene of their biggest disappointment next week, with Tony Sweeney desperate for revenge, writes Nick Loughlin.

Pool travel to Bristol city next Tuesday, 48 hours after taking on Oldham at Victoria Park.

It was at Ashton Gate where their dreams of achieving Championship football ended last season, as they were dumped out of the play-offs at the semi-final stage.

Pool were leading with just three minutes to go and a place in the Millennium Stadium showpiece beckonded.

But, they conceded twice, and now, with Pool handily placed for another play-off assault following last weekend's 5-1 win at Wrexham, Sweeney is looking for a merry Christmas.

He netted twice in an impressive display at the Racecourse Ground and admitted: "Now we have got to build on that performance against Oldham on Sunday and especially against Bristol City after that which will be a tough one.

"We have a score to settle at Bristol City and it is a game we definitely want to win.

"Every so often you do think about that game last season and what could have been but there is no point on dwelling on it.

"It is important that we go on from that game rather than slip back to square one and these next two games will be important in making sure we don't do that.

"I don't think they are the same team as we played last season but it is always a tough place to go.''

The weekend win was Pool's first away from Victoria Park since August 16 and Sweeney, with eight goals to his name this season, praised his team's professionalism as they saw the game out.

"The difference on Saturday was the chances we did have went in and we had a comfortable lead by half-time.

"Even though we had such a good lead in the first half we had to make sure we saw the game out.

"There have been times when we have done well in the first half but haven't been as good in the second but we made sure we were professional and saw it out until the end.''

* Pool's reserve side were thumped 5-0 at Sheffield United yesterday. The game, at Bramall Lane, was goalless at the break.

* Bradford have signed Manchester United midfielder Paul Tierney on loan for the rest of the season.

Tierney, who spent a month on loan at Colchester at the start of the year, is Colin Todd's second capture this week following the permanent signing of winger Owen Morrison.

Read more about Hartlepool here.