IT might have taken a couple of years, but Tony Sweeney is now showing he is capable of living up to his tag.

Back in January 2002, Sweeney signed his first professional contract at Victoria Park.

Then-boss Chris Turner said the Stockton-born midfielder "has the potential to be the next Tommy Miller.

"He has the same kind of energy to keep going forward, he scored goals and uses the ball well.''

Miller made his mark in the first-team after being given his chance and secured a £750,000 move to Ipswich, where he has flourished into one of the best attacking midfielders in the Division.

Sweeney, with a similar strong-running style, will start his third game in succession in the Pool midfield today as Neale Cooper's side meet fellow play-off candidates Bournemouth at Victoria Park.

He scored his first senior goal in the important midweek win over Luton and this is the longest run he's had in the side - encouraging signs for the 20-year-old whose contract expires this summer.

"I've waited quite a while for a start, so it's great to be back involved,'' he admitted. "I was a bit surprised to start against Brighton, I thought I might be on the bench.

"But the gaffer has put me in and said it's because I've been playing well for the reserves.

"I owe Martin Scott a lot, he's been a big influence. I know there are things I have to work on and he is a big help.

"My contract is up this summer, so it's important I am given a chance to show what I can do.

"It's disappointing not to be involved in the first-team, but all I could do was play well for the reserves and then, hopefully, get a chance.

"Both me and Cradds (Darren Craddock) have been given a chance in the last couple of games.

"Cradds is a centre-half, but I think he will make a better right back and is doing really well there.

"I came through the youth team with him and Jim Provett and it's nice to be involved in the first-team with them.

"Jim has been unbelievable this season. He's a great goalkeeper. He pulled off a world class save against Luton in injury time to win us the game.''

Sweeney started in midfield alongside Gavin Strachan on Tuesday and admitted it was a battle for Pool to keep tabs on giant Luton strikers Steve Howard and Enoch Showumni.

Ex-Pool forward Howard scored the game's opener before Sweeney levelled and Pool won it with a last-minute Adam Boyd penalty.

In between, Hugh Robertson put Pool in front with one of the hardest shots Victoria Park has ever seen.

Sweeney said: "It was tough going with the two big lads up front for Luton, but I thought we dealt with them quite well.

"It was nice to score, especially in front of my mum and dad. It was a good corner and it fell nicely for me in the box and I got my head onto it.

"I've scored a few headers for the reserves, but it meant so much to get one in the first team.

"I didn't even see our third goal - Shuggy (Robertson) hit the ball so hard and fast. There's no way the keeper was going to stop that one. If the keeper got in the way, it would have hurt him!

"It was so important to beat Luton after losing to Brighton. We were a bit unfortunate to lose last week and got caught on the break.

"It was a massive result against Luton to get us back near the play-off places. We've got a few hard games coming up against other teams in the play-off places.''

Bournemouth are likely to be without their former Pool striker Steve Fletcher today.

The former Brierton School pupil, who moved to The Cherries in a £50,000 deal 12 years ago, is suffering from knee trouble.

Fletcher said: "The worst thing for me is that I haven't trained all week. I aggravated an injury on Saturday but I am hopeful I'll be able to play.

"But I won't make any excuses. If I'm not right, I won't play - even if it is Hartlepool. It is one of the games I really look forward to but I won't jeopardise the team's chances just because I am desperate to play.

"Sean normally lets me stay on for a few days to see my friends and family when we play Hartlepool but we have another game on Monday.

"I haven't been home all season because I've been fit and when the fixtures came out in July, I was gutted to see we had a game two days later."

* Pool forward Jermaine Easter will stay on loan at Cambridge until the end of the season.

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