Cats' interest in Boyd wanes

The in-demand Hartlepool United striker will line up against Barnsley at Victoria Park this afternoon.

But the likelihood of an imminent move to Wearside appear to have been scuppered by the financial troubles at the club.

Crippled by millions of pounds of debt, the Black Cats have transfer tribunal hearings on the horizon for summer recruits Dean Whitehead and Liam Lawrence - and payments for the two summer signings will wipe out McCarthy's hopes of recruiting Boyd.

The Sunderland boss watched Boyd turn on the style in Bank Holiday Monday's win over Colchester and, after sitting alongside Boyd's agent during the game, was expected to make a move.

He claimed in midweek he wasn't interested in Boyd and was casting an eye over Colchester players.

But McCarthy, who had a bid rejected for Stockport's Luke Beckett last month, has privately let it be known he is an admirer and his best hope will be to play a waiting game.

Boyd is out of contract at the end of the season and McCarthy may sit tight in the hope Cardiff don't firm up their interest and then try and tempt him to Wearside in the close season.

Boyd will line up alongside Eifion Williams this afternoon after both were on target on Monday. The winning goal, scored by Boyd, was set up by Gavin Strachan, back in the starting line-up in the absence of Mark Tinkler.

Strachan has been looking on from the bench this season until Tinkler was forced to rest an Achilies injury and admitted: "I'm pleased to be back in and back in for a game that we won, but you can't really look at it that way.

"I think we showed the spirit we have got in this team. The lads are really buzzing again.

"It's hard for any professional footballer if you're not playing on a Saturday because that's the whole point in being in this job. But I wasn't in a bad mood about it because the lads in there were doing fantastic and that's the way football is.

"I felt a little rusty in the first half because I hadn't played much in pre-season either but I enjoyed it.

"I think we all had something to prove after the match at Swindon, but we were able to get the ball down and play our game because the pitch at home is really good.

"But I'm really pleased for the boys because we were looking at a bit of a bad run if we had lost the Colchester game - two defeats in two games.

"They were a physical side and there are quite a lot of teams that play like that in this division, but if we can get the ball down and play we can beat them because football rises to the top."

Monday's win put Pool into eighth spot and Strachan added: "We are not the biggest team in the league but we have a lot of lads with big hearts.

"Our home form is again going to be crucial for us this season. Just look at last season. We need to keep winning our home games because it gives you a solid base to push forward.

"The fact that the Colchester game came so soon after Swindon was good because we didn't have to dwell on it for too long."

Strachan will be partnered in central midfield by Antony Sweeney and the latter, who came to the fore as Strachan was sidelined last season, feels the pair compliment each other.

Sweeney said: "I played alongside Strachs on Monday and I enjoyed it. He likes to get the ball from the back four and pass it around and he helps me get forward a lot as well.

"Tinks and him are quite similar, so if Tinks is out then it's good to get someone in like Strachs, who is a very good player.

"Tinks has a sore Achilles, so we don't know if he is going to be fit for Saturday yet.''

He added: "We had a really bad day at Swindon on Saturday and we well beaten. The second-half was just about getting some pride back and trying not to concede more.

"We were beaten by a good side on the day, but thankfully we don't have too many off days as a team and that was one of them.

"But like I said, it's the sign of a good team to come back with a win after a defeat. It's all about how you react and we normally react very well."

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