By Albatross
September 28 2002

Pools suffered a 2-1 defeat at home to Rushden after dominating the first half. Not a great result then, and CT may step up his search for a physical striker as a result. There was no surprise in the starting 11 for Hartlepool today, with the only change being Robinson coming back in place of the unfit Paul Arnison. A big plus for Pools though was the announcement that Paul Smith was on the bench; Smith hadn't been expected to be fit, but he must have made good progress this week. Injury-hit Rushden seemed to have suffered more problems, as Onandi Lowe was absent up front, though they were boosted by the return of Stuart Gray.

Pools were kicking towards the 200 or so Rushden Fans in the Rink End in the first half, and it didn't take long for them to show the Diamonds fans how they had reached the top of the league. A throw in on the right was only cleared as far as Westwood; he chipped the ball into the box where Darrell Clarke had managed to stay onside. The ball didn't drop for him though, and his shot went well over.

Widdrington was looking to play Boyd in on five minutes, but played it too far. Rushden then broke with pace, and a cross from Stuart Wardley was headed narrowly wide of his own net by Micky Barron! However it was Pools doing almost all of the attacking, as shortly after some good control from Boyd allowed him to send Tinkler away down the right; the cross was blocked and went behind for a corner.

On 10 minutes Tinks again got down the right, and put in a good cross that picked out Eiffon Williams near the back post; however Turley in the Rushden goal made a good stop to deny the Welshman.

Brett Solkhon had a long range effort well wide for Rushden on 13 minutes, and it was looking good for Pools as that was one of Rushden's best efforts of the first half hour. A couple of minutes later saw another good Pools attack, when some good work from Boyd and Clarke saw the ball make it's way to Tinkler on the edge of the area; his shot was just over, although as the Ref gave a corner it may have needed a touch from Turley just to make sure.

On 20 minutes it was Eifion's turn to show his close control; some good work allowed him to put in a driven cross that a Rushden player put behind from another corner. The ball into the box found it's way out to Widdrington, but from 20 yards out Tommy managed to clear not only the bar, but the roof of the Rink End!

Rushden were being restricted to long range efforts when they did get forward, and one from Gray forced a comfortable save from Taff on 25 minutes; however Spike went down injured and had to receive treatment (and leave the pitch) before he was able to continue. Once play was restarted, Boyd saw a rasping shot from just outside the box go just wide.

Pools did have a nervous moment on 29 minutes, when Westie got in well just ahead of a Rushden player to push the ball back to Williams in the Pools goal; Taff tried to be a bit too clever and almost got into trouble. Fortunately although a good cross came in from the Rushden left, no-one was there to meet it.

Pools had been threatening to score and making a number of good chances, and fully deserved to go into the lead on the half hour. Good work from Eifion Williams and Clarke on the Pools right saw the ball chipped into the box for Adam BOYD; and from the right of the area Boyd lifted a superb shot over the advancing Turley and into the opposite corner. A goal that oozed quality, and og course Boyd's third in three games.

A minute later it was Williams turn to break into the box, but his shot was saved by Turley. Rushden again showed they were quick on the break, and another shot from Gray forced a good save from Taff, who had to dive to his right to push the shot round the post for a corner.

Pools were continuing to carve out chances, and on 35 minutes another Williams shot from the edge of the area went just wide; shortly after a cross from Humphreys on the left found the Welshman's head, but it was blocked by a Rushden defender.

From my seat in the Cyril, I could clearly hear CT shouting instructions, and a move he called from a corner on 40 minutes almost saw Pools extend their lead. Clarke pulled short for a Humphreys corner from the right, played the ball back to Ritchie, and Humph put in a good cross that Tinkler headed just over.

Williams had been causing problems for Rushden's defence all afternoon with his good close control, and coming up to half time the Diamonds defenders were having to resort to fouling him. First Barry Hunter, and then a minute later Mark Peters, found their way into the Ref's book after scything challenges on the Welshman near the centre circle.

At Half Time, Pools were looking much the better side; most of the play had been in Rushden's half, but Rushden were looking like a side that were very quick on the break, and very dangerous down the right, where Hall and Wardley were giving Robinson a tough time.

Rushden bought on Daniel Talbot for Solkhon at the break, and it didn't take long for them to level the match. Micky Barron was forced to head behind a dangerous cross from the left; from the resulting corner, a deep cross found PETERS at the far post and he headed into the roof of the net.

A few minutes later Rushden almost repeated the dose. Taff had to touch over a long shot from Mustafa, and the corner saw the same routine reaach Wardley, who headed over. Pools seemed to be struggling to pick up the Rushden players in the box: the writing was on the wall.

Westwood and Taff were again lucky to escape unpunished after Westie played his keeper into a bit of trouble; Taff seemed to want to almost dribble the ball away, but then gave the ball back to Westie whose clearance wasn't good; fortunately the Rushden attackers wasted the opportunity. Shortly afterwards Underwood saw another effort for Rushden - this time from just inside the box - curl just over.

Pools midfield were losing the battle against a well-organised Diamonds unit, and Williams and Boyd were being starved of quality service up front. Williams did have a good chance on the hour, when he was played in by Boyd; but although his shot had plenty of power it was also straight at Turley. Eifion then tried to turn provider shortly after, playing Humphreys in wide on the left for a shot that went well wide, but the good chances from the first half seemed to have dried up completely. Rushden were having a very good spell, and Pools were defending a little too deeply for my liking.

Pools were now resorting to playing the ball down the channels for Willo and Boyd to get after, but Rushden were coping pretty well. One Williams chase down the left channel on 72 minutes did allow him to pull the ball across to Tinks, but his shot was woeful. A couple of minutes later he did a bit better, only to see his shot deflected for a cornenr.

Pools were pressing to try and get the lead back, but couldn't get through the Rushden defence; a cross from Clarke from the left did find it's way to Boyd, but the Pools forward spent too much time trying to control the ball and was robbed. Rushden immediately launched a quick counter attack, and Hall got a shot away that Taff put behind for a corner. Diamonds seemed to be quite happy to play on the break, and rely on their well-organised defence and midfield to stop Pools playing.

CT decided to try and change things and brought on Paul Smith on 77 minutes for Robinson; Humph dropped back as Smith took up his accustomed spot on the left side of midfield. He was into the action straight away, being chopped down on the wing by Mustafa, and then putting a cross in from the free kick that saw Pools win another corner.

On 80 minutes Smith was again in the thick of it; Tinkler played the ball across to him, and he hit a good low cross into the area that just failed to find a Pools player. Another quick breakaway then almost saw Humphreys get Taff into trouble, when his attempt to play the ball behind forced Taff to stop the ball with his feet as he came close to scoring in the wrong net!

With 84 minutes gone, Rushden took the lead. Another quick breakaway saw the Pools defence outnumbered; and Paul HALL ran at and then past Spike before finishing coolly for his fifth goal of the season.

Turner responded by bringing on Henderson for Boyd, presumably for that bit of extra physical presence, but the game had already gone beyond Pools. Hendo did manage a break on 87 minutes that saw Pools win a corner as the Town End and players appealed for a second handball in the box; all that happened was that Tinkler got booked for dissent. Another Tinkler long-range effort went well wide, but there was no way back for Pools as Rushden held on comfortably for their first away win of the season.

Pools remain top on Goal Difference, but CT will be far from happy with this result. Fair play to Rushden, they showed that they could knock it around with some quality and fought well to win the battle in the middle of the park; but Pools should have got the match dead and buried after the first half performance. Instead of carrying on, they got caught cold after the break and then never got back into the game against a well-organised team that were happy to play within themselves and look for a goal on the break if necessary.

With Smith fit again, changes look imminent: and on that showing I'd say that Tinks, Widds and Clarke will all have to look over their shoulders.

CT may also look to bring in the Tall, Powerful striker he claims to be looking for; Boyd and Williams did OK today, but especially during the second half you got the feeling that if we'd had someone of that ilk he'd have given us a few more options going forward.

There was one good point though: the crowd, announced at just over 5500. With only a couple of hundred from Rushden, that means that the turnout was excellent. Just a shame we couldn't all go home happy!