Well I can’t put this match report off any longer so here goes. If your a Pools
fan your not going to enjoy this, if your a Tamworth fan congratulations and good
luck.
Hartlepool United boss Martin Scott continued with the front pairing of Chris
Llewellyn and Dean McDonald for the visit of conference side Tamworth Town this
afternoon. The new front pairing impressed during last Saturday’s 1-0 away win
at Bradford and were handed a second game together. Neill Collins was denied
permission to play by Sunderland so Martin Scott placed Darren Craddock alongside
Michael Nelson and John Brackstone took the left back slot. Ritchie Humphreys
continued at left wing with Thomas Butler recalled and started on the right
wing.
With just two minutes on the clock Chris Llewellyn needed treatment after clashing
with the Tamworth keeper. After a couple of minutes treatment Llewellyn was
able to continue. On 6 minutes Jackson found his way into referee Graham Salisbury’s
notebook for a bad challenge on Thomas Butler. Edwards of Tamworth had the first
chance of the game after he turned twice inside the Pools box and fired a low
shot into the body of Dimitrious Konstantopolous. Thomas Butler then picked
out Tony Sweeney who saw a wicked volley tipped just over the bar. Seconds later
and Thomas Butler had a driven shot pushed onto the post by Tamworth keeper
Bevan.
On the half hour it was Butler causing problems again, this time he met a Ritchie
Humphreys cross but put his head across the face of goal. Konstantopolous had
to be on his toes 60 seconds later to tip an early shot over the Pools bar.
In the 33rd minute the visitors took the lead. A cross in from the right wing
was met at the back post by Edwards who made no mistake from just 6 yards
out. As the attack progressed I think I screamed at Tony Sweeney to close his
man down, sometimes Pools just give too much space in the centre of midfield.
On 39 minutes Pools were denied what look like a pretty clear penalty as Thomas
Butler had his legs taken, the referee waved play on and Tony Sweeney saw a
shot from the edge of the box clip the cross bar. On the stroke of half time
Storer became the second Tamworth player to go in the book again for a shocking
challenge on Thomas Butler. Half time.
The second half started disastoriously for Martin Scott’s side. In the 48th
minute Tamworth won a corner kick after Thomas Butler put the ball behind from
just about the half way line, I have no idea what he was trying to do, the delivery
came in and Matt Redmile was Jonny on the spot to put the visitors 2-0
up.
Things got a little better for Pools in the 52nd minute. A Ritchie Humphreys
corner kick fell to Darren Williams in the 18 yard box, the defender was heading
away from goal when he was brought down from behind, this time the referee did
point to the spot. Chris Llewellyn stepped up and scored his first goal
since his summer move from Wrexham as he sent the keeper the wrong way and tucked
the ball into the bottom right corner of the net.
On 61 minutes Scott was forced into a change as Micky Nelson went off injured
and Steven Istead came on. This switch saw Pools move to a 3-5-2 formation.
Pools second change of the game happened on 73 minutes as Eifion Williams replaced
the ineffective Mark Tinkler.
By now Pools we getting desperate and the home fans more and more frustrated.
Thomas Butler and Dean McDonald were trying to create openings but the rest
of the team seemed slow to get the ball forward and nobody could find the killer
final ball. Two minutes into injury time and Eifion Williams looked set to round
the keeper, but Bevan stretched out a long arm and just got a touch on the ball.
A minute later and Tony Sweeney headed a Ritchie Humphreys corner towards goal
only for a defender to block the effort on the line.
The referee blew the final whistle after 93 and a bit minutes, the Tamworth
players and fans went wild, the Pools fans booed and sang ‘Scotty out’!
What can I say? Questions need to be asked, we are doing well away from home
but when we are back at the Vic and need to break teams down we just can’t do
it. Not enough chances are being created and we are conceding too many goals.
The players must take a big chunk of the blame but perhaps Martin Scott and
Steve Agnew must carry the loins share. It’s their tactics that the players
are playing too and at home the tactics appear to be wrong.
Should we be looking for a new manager, perhaps, there’s only one person who
can make that decision and that’s Chairman Ken Hodcroft, who incidentally said
in his programme notes for today’s game:-
‘This is one of the most important matches of the season’.
Good luck to Tamworth Town, they battled hard and took their chances, good
luck in the next round.
