By Rupe
April 7 2002

After the Shaymen's relegation on Easter Monday (which just happened to be April Fool's Day - how appropriate!), they entertained Hartlepool United at the Shay. After recent home form we all hoped for another good display, but it never came.

Me and our Cuth took up our usual seats in the Skircoat, and we immediately commented on the strange atmosphere at the Shay. I know it is never fantastic, but there was just something in the air and it felt really strange.

We decided that a Bovril each would make us feel more at home (boy do we love our Bovril!), so we made our way back to the refreshment bar and I couldn't believe how few people were coming through the turnstiles. I thought the players had come out early so looked at my watch, but they were on time, I don't think I have ever seen the north stand look so empty!

The game kicked off and Hartlepool immediately took control, Town looked really out of sorts. Passes were going astray, control was lacking, and there didn't seem to be much get up and go.

Pool took the lead on 9 minutes, after Gordon Watson scored a spectacular volley from the edge of the area, across the front of Richardson into the opposite corner of the goal, after some good work down Town's right and a great cross.

The away team continued to dominate and had by far the better possession and scoring chances, although Harsley clipped the top of the Pool crossbar from just outside the area, after some half decent build up play which unfortunately was lacking for the majority of the match, and Barry Richardson was called upon on more than one occasion to keep Town in the game.

Half time finally came and me and our Cuth decided to treat ourselves to another Bovril to make up for the lack of action. I tried to warn him about his weak bladder but he took no notice, and spent most of the second half running backwards and forwards to the toilet! Ha!

The teams came out and the second half kicked off with Hartlepool once again taking control. They were playing some half decent football, but were made to look better than they were by a team that you could tell had been relegated just a matter of days before.

The game was over as a contest just past the hour mark as Hartlepool forced a corner down the Shaymen's right. The ball was swung into the area and Graeme Lee jumped unchallenged to head the visitors into a 2-0 lead. Once again Town demonstrated their inability to defend a corner. I wonder how many goals we have conceded direct from a corner this season?

Craig Midgley had the Shaymen's best chance mid way through the second half when he was put through one on one with the keeper, after a slide rule pass from Fitzpatrick, he tried to curl it round the keeper and into the top right hand corner of the goal only to see it go high, wide and not so handsome into the half empty north stand. It was then that I turned to our Cuth and said we won't score if we play till next saturday.

Richardson was called into action a couple more times and Harsley had an effort tipped over by the Pool keeper, but the game just sort of petered out and died a death.

One plus point from saturday's game was a solid display from young Heineken (sorry Heinneman) at left back. Ok he made a couple of errors and was caught out of position a couple of times, but overall you would class it as a good debut. And in the middle of the park Steve Bushell was his usual self, covering virtually every blade of grass and making good strong tackles to break down the opposition attacks. It would be nice if we could keep Bushell for next season, after all we got him from the Conference so he will have the experience also.

After Town's last three home games, this was a major disappointment. Everybody was wondering how the players would react after monday, and unfortunately they didn't react well.

So, only one home game left and it is against last season's Conference champions - how ironic! They are pushing for promotion in their first season in the league, doesn't that seem a long time ago? Football can be cruel. Lets hope the players can produce a better display and finish on a relative high.