Hartlepool United crashed out of the FA Cup to Stevenage as the problems from October continued.
Report:
Hartlepool United’s worst points return from October since the 2006/07 season sadly spilled over into November today, portions of luck blowing along in the opposition direction, nail-biting defending costing dear. Yet again, the home crowd went home despondent.
After ’emerging’ from that disastrous month, well so said Mick Wadsworth – who now has a lot to answer for – we have had now reemerged back into similar dire form. A dubious penalty gifted Stevenage the lead, a flabbergasting ‘game spinning’ – in the words of Wadsworth – ensuing red card for ‘keeper Scott Flinders left Pools all at sea.
For all the furore over the dismissal and infuriation, it was time for Pools to regroup, be professional and not let their visitors walk all over them like a trodden unwonted house mat. Stevenage took control of Pools’ territory instantly, claiming the deeds to the game, carving out new rooms with clever craftmanship of finding space.
They did allow Pools to rent some space of their own in Stevenage’s half in the second interval, sadly tame heading and a cross bar coming in-between Pools, arguably the best player, Andy Monkhouse, the victim of aforementioned chances.
The Cup elimination started and ended in the ninth minute. Gary Liddle gifted away possession in the midfield and the resulting through ball dissected past a woeful Stephen Wright to Beardsley who rounded Flinders and fell to the ground, though contact looked of been very minimial, if any. Nonetheless, the lively and nuisance left back Scott Laird neatly tucked the ball past Andy Rafferty – who replaced Evan Horwood to fill the keeping void – the from the penalty spot, milking his strike by celebrating in front of a furious Town End.
Mr M. Haywood, the referee, was the subject of the home fans raiding their refereeing insult book, voicing their rightful displeasure at the officials actions throughout.
Beardley was a menace for the hosts, upsetting Wright’s and Hartley’s defensive partnership on several occasions, the front man narrowly wasting a header from a catalogue of chances from Graham Westley’s unsportmanship side. The less about the conduct of the men in white, the better for the sake of this article!
Laird and Beardsley had the cheek to succumb to the eighteen-yard-box turf twice in the first half, thankfully the ref didn’t repeat his previous antics of pointing to the spot. Monkhouse had a header drift wide of the goal frame from a good Nobby Solano free-kick, Solano having little chance to really create anything today.
Michael Bostwick ran the show for Stevenage from the midfield, his own chance evading Rafferty while the Pools stopper smartly saved from Wilson on the cusp of half-time.
HT: Hartlepool United 0-1 Stevenage
With James Poole up front on his own, Pools attempted to create but Poole was forced to come deep, isolating the front berth. Sub Nathan Luscombe met Ritchie Humphreys’ cross but his header didn’t find the net.
Though not a left back, Ritchie did have a decent game in the role, keeping firm and refusing to be easily exposed.
The wave of pressure continued from Pools, however, they didn’t really test their opponents goal. Monkhouse had a header saved as the atmosphere inside in the Vic matched the tension and desire to win.
They pressed again without any real cutting edge, Monkhouse’s volley smashing off the bar. Though we pushed back Stevenage’s defensive furniture, at the end of the day we just weren’t good enough to break through them. The perpetual long ball was as frustrating and stupid – given Stevenage’s successful game plan and aerial prowress – as it was ineffective.
Out of the Cup, thank goodness this worrying result and display didn’t come in the League. Problems still exist.
The last time we scored fewer than three points in October we ended the season in the promotion places. Let’s hope history kindly reenacts for us.
FT: Hartlepool United 0-1 Stevenage
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