Hartlepool 0, Bradford City 1 - Hartlepool is the last place you'd think of for sun, sea and sinking a cold beer by the harbour.

The north-east town in Middlesbrough's shadow has never ranked high in the glam stakes. But that is all starting to change.

The run-down docks area is being regenerated into a trendy marina full of "luxury waterfront homes" as they are called in the glossy brochure. Hartlepool is reinventing itself and doing a rather good job.

Five minutes walk from the water's edge something new was taking shape at the Victoria Ground.

Nicky Law is beginning to put his own imprint on the Bradford City team. And just like the marina, judging by Saturday's showing he is clearly going in the right direction.

A lot can change between now and August 11 when City go at it for real against Wolves. First things first there is that D-day with the creditors on Thursday which holds sway over everything that might follow.

There are a lot of ifs to get past. But if everyone says yes and if City come back out of administration and if they can somehow recruit a few new faces then the picture may not be half as grim as some are painting.

Robert Taylor apart, all of Law's free-agent finds look the biz. Andy Gray, as we first discovered against Chesterfield, is a class act on the wing, Paul Evans chases every ball in midfield and latest arrival Gus Uhlenbeek could run for hours.

With no programmes to look at, City's small band of away fans didn't know the identity of the fella warming up with the rest.

Uhlenbeek trained with the Bantams at the end of last week but his arrival was kept quiet until he appeared on the Hartlepool team sheet. But he didn't hide away when the chance came in the second half with some super-charged sprints up and down the right flank.

"He's been looking to come in for some while," said Law. "I've been talking to his agent and it's just been the timing of it. He finished last season on loan at Walsall but Sheffield United let him go and he could be a good acquisition for us."

Pace and Bradford City did not feature much in the same sentence last season. Too often they found themselves over-run by teams with one or two speedy types - think Michael Boulding for Grimsby or Manchester City's Darren Huckerby.

Law added: "We had to instil that pace, we've said all along about the need to get the age down and the legs going. And when you look at that team there it's got a lot of pace.

"We're getting the right blend there and improving as the games go on. I thought we started slowly but once we picked it up and starting working them harder we bossed it."

City, as is their wont this pre-season, took a good 20 minutes to "get off the bus" and pick up the tempo. But when they did, the two-division gulf between the sides soon became evident.

It should have produced a goal on the half hour when Jamie Lawrence set up Paul Gedman eight yards out from an inviting net. But the Leeds University hopeful saw his shot tipped on to the underside of the bar by Anthony Williams.

Four minutes later, Williams had no chance as Kearney lashed home from just inside the penalty area after Gary Locke's effort was half-blocked.

Hartlepool, led by former City favourite Gordon Watson, almost levelled before the break. But this time it was their turn to curse the combination of good shot-stopping and sturdy woodwork as Aidan Davison twice thwarted Eifion Williams. Davison was one of half a dozen to be replaced at the break.

On came Gary Walsh who should have been beaten by his old oppo Watson within a minute but the striker scuffed a great chance wide. Their personal battle became the main plot of the second half with Walsh later saving superbly from a Watson close-range flick.

City had most of the ball without seriously threatening to increase their lead although Williams did well to thwart Locke late on.

HARTLEPOOL: Williams, Barron, Lee (Bass 63), Simms, Robinson, Clarke, Tinkler (Stephenson 67), Boyd (Sweeney 46), Humphreys, Williams (Easter 68), Watson. Subs (not used): Sharp, Provett.

CITY: Davison (Walsh 46), Molenaar (Atherton 46), Wetherall (Emanuel 67), Myers, Emanuel (Uhlenbeek 46), Lawrence, Kearney (Evans 46), Locke (Kearney 73), Gray, Gedman (Standing 46), Taylor (Tod 46).

REFEREE: Eddie Ilerton (Tyneside)