Matty D
21st February 2005, 12:34
On paper a daunting prospect, like Luton away in the last round, another chance for Martin Allen to deploy the 4-5-1 formation that has served him well away from home recently; and in the end another hard-fought victory, even if this one probably should have been settled more easily.
We started brightly, with Rankin and Hunt full of running, stretching the Pools defence. Rankin drew a save from Konstanopolous, and on 8 minutes Eddie Hutchinson won possession in midfield and released Hunt, who wriggled clear of full back Ross only to go down under his attempted challenge. The referee had a tough call to make, but the tackle didn’t seem to get anywhere near the ball, and Ross was undoubtedly the last defender, so the penalty and red card seemed the right call. Hunt had the opportunity to set Hartlepool a mammoth task, but the Greek keeper was equal to his low penalty, and turned it round the post.
For much of the first half Pools made a mockery of our numerical advantage, more than holding their own, although they were relieved to see an instinctive 30 yard half-volley from Rankin dip over a stranded Konstantopolous only to come back off the bar. They wouldn’t come to close to threatening the Bees goal until the last minutes of the half, though, Porter’s hooked shot at the far post troubling Nelson, but eventually brushing only the side netting.
Not surprisingly the early dismissal made for a feisty game, with both managers requiring lectures from the officials as they were dragged into various arguments. Neale Cooper even squared up to Salako after one of his players had knocked a ball deep into the crowd as the Brentford player tried to retrieve it for a throw. All this argy-bargy only seemed to fire up 10 man Pools, and if he been able to stand back MA would surely have hoped we could calm the game down and make our advantage count better. Hunt collected a booking after barging the Pools keeper as he collected the ball, and Talbot also went into the book for petulantly kicking the ball away after the whistle had gone.
We were lacking a cutting edge, and the half-time introduction of Jay Tabb supplied it. Whether Hunt was tired or just deemed too big a target for a second yellow it was a canny move to withdraw him for Tabb. After only three minutes his trickery on the wing won a corner, and Talbot’s floated delivery was flicked on by Hutchinson at the near post for Rankin to nod home a training-ground header from inside the six-yard box.
Pools continue to see a lot of the ball, although Nelson remained largely untroubled. One penetrating cross did require a glorious saving header form Sodje. Tabb and Rankin were continuing to exploit space dwon the wings, and win corners, but in the swirling wind we struggled to stage a repeat of the goal. Ben May replaced Burton, and almost instantly created a chance for himself, only to shoot wide. Given an even better opportunity minutes later he can only scuff it into the keeper’s legs.
As Pools mount their last assaults Dobbo and Sodje are both booked for what look clean challenges, but there is more and more space to be exploited for our forwards. Tabb, running onto a lovely lay-off from May, stretches clear and force a good save from the keeper, when another Luton-style clincher looked on the cards. Rankin then wastes what looks like a good chance with Pools committed forward, but the flag is raised anyway. Nelson wastes the one clear chance Hartlepool do create, slicing a free header wide, and after a nervous few minutes injury time the job is done, to the delight of the vocal away support.
Nelson 6 – little to do
Sodje 8 – in when it mattered time and time again
Turner 9 – superb
Dobson 7 – did well up against tricky winger
Salako 7 – intelligent creative play, but shirked a few challenges
Talbot 8 – hustled and harried all game
Hargreaves 6 – didn’t look fully fit
Hutchinson 7 – no silky skills but put his foot in and won the ball when required
Hunt 7 – thorn in Pools’ side,
Rankin 7 – got the goal he must have been longing for, unlucky with first half effort
Burton 7 – ploughing a lone furrow up front
Tabb 8 – turned the game in our favour
May 7 – some nice touches, but should have grabbed at least one goal
We started brightly, with Rankin and Hunt full of running, stretching the Pools defence. Rankin drew a save from Konstanopolous, and on 8 minutes Eddie Hutchinson won possession in midfield and released Hunt, who wriggled clear of full back Ross only to go down under his attempted challenge. The referee had a tough call to make, but the tackle didn’t seem to get anywhere near the ball, and Ross was undoubtedly the last defender, so the penalty and red card seemed the right call. Hunt had the opportunity to set Hartlepool a mammoth task, but the Greek keeper was equal to his low penalty, and turned it round the post.
For much of the first half Pools made a mockery of our numerical advantage, more than holding their own, although they were relieved to see an instinctive 30 yard half-volley from Rankin dip over a stranded Konstantopolous only to come back off the bar. They wouldn’t come to close to threatening the Bees goal until the last minutes of the half, though, Porter’s hooked shot at the far post troubling Nelson, but eventually brushing only the side netting.
Not surprisingly the early dismissal made for a feisty game, with both managers requiring lectures from the officials as they were dragged into various arguments. Neale Cooper even squared up to Salako after one of his players had knocked a ball deep into the crowd as the Brentford player tried to retrieve it for a throw. All this argy-bargy only seemed to fire up 10 man Pools, and if he been able to stand back MA would surely have hoped we could calm the game down and make our advantage count better. Hunt collected a booking after barging the Pools keeper as he collected the ball, and Talbot also went into the book for petulantly kicking the ball away after the whistle had gone.
We were lacking a cutting edge, and the half-time introduction of Jay Tabb supplied it. Whether Hunt was tired or just deemed too big a target for a second yellow it was a canny move to withdraw him for Tabb. After only three minutes his trickery on the wing won a corner, and Talbot’s floated delivery was flicked on by Hutchinson at the near post for Rankin to nod home a training-ground header from inside the six-yard box.
Pools continue to see a lot of the ball, although Nelson remained largely untroubled. One penetrating cross did require a glorious saving header form Sodje. Tabb and Rankin were continuing to exploit space dwon the wings, and win corners, but in the swirling wind we struggled to stage a repeat of the goal. Ben May replaced Burton, and almost instantly created a chance for himself, only to shoot wide. Given an even better opportunity minutes later he can only scuff it into the keeper’s legs.
As Pools mount their last assaults Dobbo and Sodje are both booked for what look clean challenges, but there is more and more space to be exploited for our forwards. Tabb, running onto a lovely lay-off from May, stretches clear and force a good save from the keeper, when another Luton-style clincher looked on the cards. Rankin then wastes what looks like a good chance with Pools committed forward, but the flag is raised anyway. Nelson wastes the one clear chance Hartlepool do create, slicing a free header wide, and after a nervous few minutes injury time the job is done, to the delight of the vocal away support.
Nelson 6 – little to do
Sodje 8 – in when it mattered time and time again
Turner 9 – superb
Dobson 7 – did well up against tricky winger
Salako 7 – intelligent creative play, but shirked a few challenges
Talbot 8 – hustled and harried all game
Hargreaves 6 – didn’t look fully fit
Hutchinson 7 – no silky skills but put his foot in and won the ball when required
Hunt 7 – thorn in Pools’ side,
Rankin 7 – got the goal he must have been longing for, unlucky with first half effort
Burton 7 – ploughing a lone furrow up front
Tabb 8 – turned the game in our favour
May 7 – some nice touches, but should have grabbed at least one goal