Hartlepool United 0-2 Town - A Brief Report |
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Author: Sean Makin
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Date: Monday, 22nd February 2010
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Huddersfield Town turned in another fine performance on the road with a deserved victory at Hartlepool United that has lifted the Terriers back into the League One play-off spots.
A Gary Roberts penalty and a first goal in Town colours for on-loan defender Neal Trotman was enough to ensure Town's first victory at Victoria Park in the last five visits.
Town grabbed the lead with only 15 minutes gone, striker Jordan Rhodes lured the Hartlepool defender in the challenge and referee Anthony Taylor had no hesitation in pointing to the spot.
Roberts stepped up and put it past keeper Scott Flinders, who dived the right way but couldn't get a hand to it.
Town stopper Alex Smithies denied Dean Behan with a brilliant block and Ritchie Jones skinned Dean Heffernan down the left but no-one could connect to his cross.
The referee Mr Taylor had a nightmare of a game,giving more cards out than he does at Christmas and giving some bizarre decisions.
The worst was pulling back play after Town broke away on the counter near the end of the first half and as Lee Novak was about to pull the trigger, Taylor called back play as Pool's defender Peter Hartley lay prostrate in Town's half.
To the annoyance of the 900 travelling Town fans, referee Taylor resumed play with a drop ball on the edge of the box.
Hartlepool looked to have levelled on 58 minutes when Adam Boyd hit a firm half volley on target but Antony Kay was covering on the line and cleared to safety.
A Roberts pass into the box saw Novak denied with a last-minute saving tackle from Pool's Gary Liddle but Town doubled their advantage on 66 minutes.
Gary Roberts' corner found the head of Novak who's flicked header rebounded off the inside of the post and Trotman was there to pounce to nod it in on the line.
Smithies denied Hartlepool's Andy Monkhouse late on but the Terriers held on and were unlucky not to score more.
Sean's Star Man - Lee Novak
Ran to himself into the ground against a physical Hartlepool team who weren't afraid to get stuck in. Unlucky not to score and linked well with Rhodes and the Town midfield.
Teams:
Hartlepool: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Liddle, Hartley, Jones, Sweeney (Bjornsson 86), Gamble, Monkhouse, Behan (Larkin 53), Boyd (Brown 69)
Subs not used: Cook, Clark, McSweeney, Humphreys.
Town: Smithies, Peltier (T Clarke 22), P Clarke, Trotman, Heffernan, Pilkington, Kay, Drinkwater, Roberts (Eccleston 77), Rhodes, Novak
Subs not used: Eastwood, Pearce, N Clarke, Collins, Robinson |
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