Report: Tactical Shambles Costs Hartlepool Dear

Hartlepool United fell to their third successive defeat after another shocking performance
Teams
Report
Any hopes of Hartlepool bouncing back from last weekend’s televised shambles with a good performance were soon shattered after an even worse performance this afternoon.

After coming under intense criticism for last week’s team selection, Mick Wadsworth decided to switch to a 3-5-2 formation with Stephen Wright coming into a back three while Neil Austin and the recalled Evan Horwood acted as the wing-backs.

The central midfield trio was made up of Paul Murray, Antony Sweeney and Gary Liddle while there was further surprise as James Poole partnered Andy Monkhouse in the forward line.

From the opening moments of the match it was clear the players were uncomfortable with the system, the usually impeccable passing of Murray disappeared as he passed instinctively to areas which now had nobody playing in them.

Wycombe began the game looking like a team lacking confidence, no wonder given they’d only won once since the start of August, but soon saw opportunities to exploit our newly created weakness. The back three was stretched far too easily with Wright, Collins and even the usually dependable Peter Hartley looking like strangers.

So it was no surprise when the visitors took the lead after a quarter of an hour. Ben Strevens’ effort was well saved by Scott Flinders but Scott Donnelly was on hand to slot the ball into the back of the net.

At the other end there were a couple of attacks for Pools but little creative spark to break down the Wanderers’ defence. Andy Monkhouse huffed and puffed but the winger simply doesn’t have the right skillset to play as a striker.

Evan Horwood’s cross into the box created Pools’ best chance of the half but Antony Sweeney was unable to direct his header goalwards. Another good chance came soon afterwards when a bursting run by Monkhouse took him towards goal but his ball across was neither a shot or a cross, failing to test the keeper of find James Poole who was waiting to pounce.

It was from this that the away side went straight down the other end to grab their second. The breakaway left Pools at sixes and sevens, nobody sure where exactly they should be positioned, and Stuart Beavon made no such mistakes as he fired home, ten minutes before the break.

Wycombe keeper Nikki Bull might have well have headed in for the half time rest at this point as Pools had plenty of possession but were barely able to get out of their own half, never mind creating a chance to score.

The away side, playing in a deep red, were being made to look more like World Cup winners Spain than a third division side from Buckinghamshire. Even former Wimbledon man Gareth Ainsworth, who surely now must be eligible for a free bus pass, got in on the act with an audacious 50-yard strike at goal.

HT: Hartlepool 0 Wycombe 2

While Nathan Luscombe replaced Antony Sweeney just before half time, there was surprise as no further changes were made at the interval. Mick Wadsworth did revert to a 4-4-2 formation but the damage had already been done.

There was a slight upturn in Pools fortunes as James Poole fired wide of the target and Neil Austin spurned a great chance when he was gifted a free header, only to nod the ball over the bar.

There were boos from the Town End when James Poole was withdrawn from play, the young striker hadn’t been on the top of his game but to leave defenders playing right wing and under-performing players like the anonymous Liddle and bumbling Wright on the pitch was yet another mistake from Wadsworth.

Poole left the field along with Paul Murray while Colin Nish and Adam Boyd took their places. Andy Monkhouse finally returned to his natural habitat on the left.

And it was Monkhouse’s cross that caused mayhem in the Wycombe box and allowed Adam Boyd the space to attempt an overheard kick, but sadly it was straight into the hands of Bull.

Scott Flinders was forced into an excellent save he tipped over a close range effort by Scott Donnelly, but Hartlepool’s performance was soon summed up in a single moment when Wycombe ripped through the Pools defence and Danny Foster’s cross from the right hit Sam Collins and pinged past the Hartlepool’s helpless goalkeeper.

Thousands of fans decided they’d seen enough and the stands of the Vic emptied. There was a slight consolation, if you can call it that, when Pools were awarded a soft late penalty which Adam Boyd tucked home.

FT: Hartlepool 1 Wycombe 3

Teams
Pools: Flinders, Wright, Collins, Hartley, Austin, Sweeney (Luscombe 45), Murray (Boyd 61), Liddle, Horwood, Poole (Nish 61), Monkhouse
Subs not used: Rafferty, Humphreys

Wycombe Wanderers: Bull, Foster, Rowlands, Winfield, Johnson, Ainsworth (Tunnicliffe 80), Strevens, Basey, Lewis, Beavon (Ibe 89), Donnelly
Subs not used: Grant, McCoy, Harris