Report: Walsall 2 Hartlepool United 1

By Albatross
December 8 2004

Do you ever experience Deja Vu? Neale Cooper must have it all the time, the latest bout after Pools capitulated to a Walsall side that were quite frankly there for the taking. Do you ever experience Deja Vu?

Pools lined up with most of the same players that took part in the weekend's FA Cup game, but there were one or two changes. Konstantopoulos resumed in goal, and Jack Ross started the game; meanwhile, on the bench Provett, Appleby, Istead and Craddock were joined by the extremely welcome sight of Hugh Robertson. Walsall as expected had Merson back in the starting lineup, and teenage top scorer Fryatt on the bench.

With the Pools contingent having been moved, we found ourselves effectively in one corner, a selection of posts conspiring to prevent the couple of hundred Poolies from getting a good view. Whoever originally designed the Bescot musn't have heard of Cantilever stands, as there were posts galore on three sides - only the new Purple Stand offering an unimpeded view.

Walsall kicked off, and the first opportunity of the game fell to them. Tinkler misplaced a pass in the midfield, and the ball was placed through for Aranalde to shoot wide of the far post - although apparently brushing a Pools shirt on the way through as a corner was given.

Pools first began to show on 4 minutes when some good possession football and build-up play almost set Strachan away on the right; he won a throw in, but the resulting cross from the right flank was weak and easily dealt with.

Pools almost played themselves into trouble again on 6 minutes: Ross played the ball back to Konstantopoulos, who put in a very poor clearance straight to a Walsall player. Fortunately Westie was alert to the danger, and delayed the attempted shot - which was well wide - long enough to allow the Greek keeper to regain his ground. Pools then moved forward quickly themselves, and managed to get Boyd through on the right of the box - but instead of shooting, the Pools striker tried to cross and failed to really trouble the home defence.

The biggest cheer of the night so far followed when Leitao tried to chase a throughball into the box; he just about got his head to it before it went out, although only to pop it up nicely for Konstantopoulos to claim, but was moving too quickly to stop; he ended up hurdling the barrier and landing in the front row of the stand behind the goal!

Pools were showing some good passing and possession football, but the final product just wasn't forthcoming; Walsall were faring little better, although after working the ball from left to right they did create a chance for Standing - who could only shoot weakly at the Pools keeper.

At this point I should say that I'm rapidly tiring of typing "Konstantopoulos" every time I have to refer to him; therefore, from this point on in the report I shall refer to him as Konnie. No offence!

Pools were still struggling to create more than a couple of long range efforts, Sweeney trying his luck on 11 minutes, but the final ball just never seemed to be there. And on 17 minutes Pools almost payed dearly for this - a goalmouth scramble following a cross from the left looked to see the ball just sneaking in at the near post only for Jack Ross to manage a superb last-ditch clearance.

That however was Walsall's last real chance of the half. Pools began to dominate, with some great passing and movement, patient buildup play, and a willingness to switch the point of attack through the midfield. Ross was getting forward well on the right flank, and Walsall looked distinctly ordinary and definately there for the taking.

Strachan did well on the right before setting Boyd away on 19 minutes, the Pools striker's cross being blocked behind for a corner; a minute later, some superb passing football allowed Sweeney to get a dangerous looking cross in from the left that ended up with the Keeper - but only needed a touch on the way through to have hit the net.

Humphreys hit a powerful effort from distance on 22 minutes that had the keeper struggling - he spileld the ball, and Boyd couldn't quite keep the ball in play to set up a closer range chance. Pools really had taken the game by the scruff of the neck now, and the surprise was that it took us until 32 minutes to finally open the scoring. Pools broke quickly through Porter, and he ran strongly towards the right - and neatly backheeled the ball to leave it for his strike partner. ADAM BOYD's shot from 20 yards took a deflection and left the keepr stranded to put Pools into a deserved lead.

The Officials were a strange bunch, with the Ref seemingly keen to let almost anything go in the name of keeping the game moving, and the assistant in the same half as the Pools fans clearly in a different time zone - as shown when Westie had to be alert to clear in the box from Wrack, who was several yards offside when the quick free kick was taken.

Pools were continuing to play well, and a move down the right saw Strachan try and play Boyd in once more; he made it into the box, but then saw his shot blocked for a corner.

The ref finally found his whistle on 42 minutes, just in time to blow after Roper went through the back of Porter just inside the Walsall half; however his cards were obviously missing as he decided to be remarkably lenient and not book the big defender. It had been far from a rough game though, and after Boyd had another shot blocked on 44 minutes it was no surprise that just one minute was added. The half time whistle blew as soon as that was up to leave the Pools fans much the happier: some great passing, good movement, and Westie in particular cutting out almost everything in defence, meant that we were looking good to end our miserable away run. If there was one criticism, it was that we'd not done enough with our possession - the final ball had been lacking, and we should have taken more advantage than just one goal. We would pay dearly for that....

Merson's response to his side's pretty toothless showing was to introduce his side's top scorer, Matty Fryatt, in place of Birch at the break. It was a move that would soon show dividends. The home team looked like a different side in the second half, and so did Pools - in our case though, we looked like one that thought they'd already finished the job. The warning signs came on 48 minutes when a good cross from the left was possibly unfortunate not to find a player in red at the far post; however on 51 minutes some sustained Walsall pressure saw another cross into the box that wasn't cleared - the ball pinballed about in a scramble before FRYATT was able to bundle it home to put the home side level. Already, the alarm bells were starting to ring louder.

Pools won a free kick shortly after, on the left flank level with the penalty spot - Strachan's ball in though was palmed away and then cleared to Wrack, who crossed into the box only for Konnie to make an easy catch.

Porter looked to be through on 53 minutes, and was galloping towards goal when incredibly the flag went up - yes, our friend from the first half had suddenly realised that whatever game he was watching in his head needed him to give offside. It can't have been Porter, who was comfortably onside when the ball was played. Further evidence of incompetence later....

Two minutes later Walsall thought they should have had a penalty. Fryatt eeled into the box and went down under a challenge - no foul said the ref, and Pools muddled the cross away. Pools broke, and Boyd and Porter combined well to give Humphreys a chance for another long shot - again on target, but straight at the keeper.

The game was in the balance now, with Walsall showing that they were capable of some decent passing after all and wining a corner, and Porter then producing a powerful run and 20 yard shot on 63 minutes that was straight at the keeper. Shortly after Boyd managed to fizz a powerful effort in on goal from the right, the keeper spilled the ball and Sweeney put it in the net - however he was a distance offside and the goal didn't count.

Pools were showing flashes of heir earlier flowing football, and a combination of Brackstone, Humphreys and Sweeney made progress down the left before laying the ball off to Porter, who unfortunately failed to beat his man 25 yards out. Then it was Walsall's turn on 66 minutes, Wrack making a run before passing the ball onto Merson; his shot was diverted towards goal at the far post, but fortunately Clark was able to clear off the line.

Two minutes later and the home side went ahead. LEITAO latched onto a throughball that wrong footed the defence before executing a superb chip over the advancing Konnie. Once again, it was all going horribly wrong.

Pools were by no means a spent force though, and a run inside from wide by Humphreys allowed him to slip a pass through to Porter in the box; however the Aussie's snap shot was well saved by Murphy in the Walsall goal. Porter was again working hard on 74 minutes, getting down the left flank before seeing his cross put behind for a corner.

Cooper decided it was time to go for it on 76 minutes, and made a couple of changes. First of all Appleby replaced Strachan, Pools moving to a 4-3-3 formation, and then Brackstone went off to be replaced by the one and only Hugh Robertson. Would a Hugh Free Kick Special save the day?

Appleby looked to be the brightest spark though, and was soon involved in the action - first of all looking like he'd been pulled down on the edge of the box (no foul given), and then showing a blistering turn of pace to chase down a promising throughball. However our friend with the flag decided he couldn't believe his eyes, and flagged for offside despite the fact that Appleby was level with the last defender as the ball came past him, and a good yard or more onside when the ball was delivered. Mind you, most of the Pools fans hadn't believed his eyes all night so he was probably allowed a bit of doubt. The young Pools forward was then clattered by Kinsella on 82 minutes, who had reason to be thankful that the ref still didn't seem to have found his cards.

Two minutes later the tireless Porter agains showed some good skills to set Boyd away down the left - but Boyd's cross proved to have too much weight on it and no-one was able to connect. The ball was collected and laid back for Sweeney, but the midfielder sent the ball over the bar.

Possibly our best chance of snatching a point came on 89 minutes, where a Shuggie corner into the box found it's way to Humphreys 12 yards out; his snatched shot though went just over. Another Humphreys effort, this time with his right foot after some good play by Porter, was easily saved by Murphy in stoppage time, and so the whistle went on yet another away defeat.

Cooper is apparently getting tired of saying the same thing after away games - and he's not the only one. As a fan, this hurt - we went in at the break deservedly ahead, looking a cut above a Walsall side that looked there for the taking, and yet came out after half time seemingly unable to continue in the same vein. Walsall were bound to come out and give it a go - and Pools just weren't able to ride out the pressure and then capitalise on our good possession at the other end. In the first half, we defended well from the front - Porter especially making it his business to harry defenders - but after the break, it seemed that the midfield went missing somewhat and the lack of a natural wide player on the right of midfield meant there was too much room on that flank. The midfield also didn't seem to be doing enough to help a hard-pressed defence - the ball came back at us far too quickly. Merson's difference for Walsall was that whenever he cleared the ball he found a player in the same shirt; Pools simply lacked the control after the break to deny Walsall the possession they had lacked in the first period.

Positives? Westie looked outstanding, our best defender by some distance (his family, watching tonight, can be proud); Ross looked good at right back; and Robertson has finally returned to first team action. But until we can get over the psychological barrier and get some points away from home, Cooper knows that he has one great big negative hanging over him. Roll on Saturday....