By Albatross
April 17 2004

Neale Cooper described it as the best peformance since he arrived - and a 4-0 victory, even over struggling Notts County, is not to be sneezed at. In truth Pools ended up winning this game pretty much as they liked, and moved a step closer to securing that playoff spot.

The surprise before the start of the game didn’t come from the team selection – same starting eleven as Wrexham, with Strachan back on the bench alongside Konstantopoulos, Istead, Porter and Barron – but from the fact that the one and only Lawrence was back in the Town End, wearing an outfit that managed to win him some (ahem) “admiring” glances from H’Angus…

 

Pools set the tone as they went straight on the attack after kicking off towards the Rink End. A long throw on the left was crossed be Eifion Williams for Clarke – but he found himself tackled straight away, and the ball bobbled clear. On five minutes a long throw from the right by Humphreys was flicked on but went over; however Pools soon got the ball back and attacked through Boyd and Humphreys, whose long cross was played back to him close to the edge of the area on the right – where Bolland took him down to give Hugh his first set piece opportunity. The Scotsman’s effort was low and blocked easily by the wall.

 

Shuggie got another chance on 9 minutes when Danns was chopped down 30 yards out a little more centrally; his shot this time found the target, but also Garden in the Notts County goal for a comfortable take.

 

Notts County finally managed an attack worthy of the name on 10 minutes, advancing down the Pools left – but when the ball finally made it’s way across to Heffernan he found no room to work in and his shot was comfortably blocked on the edge of the area. The ball was then played back in, but Heffernan was caught offside. It was another five minutes before the Magpies had a clear sight of goal – but Pipe’s long range effort was well over and failed to trouble Provett.

 

Pools went straight up the other end, with Humphreys working the ball across to Clarke on the right; his cross found Boyd at the far post, but his header back across goal went wide of the near post. A few minutes later some good work from Boyd on the right allowed him to put in a decent cross that had to be headed clear.

 

Notts County were actually not looking too bad a side: they were frustrating Pools, and probing forward – but without really looking as if they had a cutting edge. Their best hope looked to be either a set piece, or a Pools error – and Westie almost provided the latter on 24 minutes. He played a dangerous back pass towards Provett, who only just about managed to get in a block tackle on a lurking County attacker to send the ball behind for a corner. The corner was cleared, lifted back in, and then Williams put his header well wide.

 

Pools had another set piece on 27 minutes, when a foul on Boyd won Pools a free kick wide on the right; Robertson’s delivery towards Clarke at the far post saw the Pools midfielder attempt to head the ball back across goal, only for Garden to claim comfortably. Humphreys then went on the break a minute later, played a great ball through to Boyd, and the Pools forward put in a cross-cum-shot that failed to find the necessary touch to open the scoring.

 

County skipper Richardson became the first player booked on 31 minutes after fouling Clarke in the Pools half.

 

Pools were getting forward more now, and some good attacking play down the right on 35 minutes saw the ball worked across for Robertson to have a crack from just outside the area – his effort being deflected behind for a corner that was headed back in for Boyd to try an overhead kick that found Garden in the ideal position to collect.

 

Pools looked to have taken the lead on 41 minutes when some good attacking play down the right flank saw the ball crossed to Clarke at the far post, who shot against the post. We weren’t to be denied for much longer though, and literally seconds later the ball found it’s way to Richie Humphreys on the left of the area, who curled in a great shot into the back of the net.

 

Humphreys was involved again as half time approached, intercepting a stray pass and advancing down the flank before laying the ball off to Eifion Williams, who shot powerfully from 20 yards to force a save from Garden. Shuggie’s corner was aimed towards the far post, where Clarke’s header was blocked by a Notts County defender.

 

It had been far from a dominant performance by Pools by the break – but our opponents seemed to lack the guile and skill to carve out anything more than the occasional long shot. Pools had not exactly penetrated the Magpie defence at will, but had looked far more threatening – and were good value for their lead. After a very warm reception for our Dallas Cup-winning youth team, play resumed with Pools attacking the Town End – and the rather pudgy-looking Garden in the Notts County goal.

 

Once again Pools looked to attack straight away, with a move down the left winning a throw in. That was cleared, and initially it looked as if Tinks had been beaten for pace after attempting to head clear; however he did well to get back and get a tackle in to stop the move in it’s tracks.

 

County looked to have another opportunity on 49 minutes, with a free kick from the right met by Barras – but his header was straight at Provett, and the linesman was in any case flagging for offside against the sometime Poolie.

 

Pools were soon back on the attack, and after more good play from Richie – who was looking close to his best again – he tried a shot that seemed to hit Pipe’s hands. The Ref decided not to give a penalty, and then also failed to give Pools a corner.

 

Boyd was also continuing his recent work ethic, and on 53 minutes he put in a good cross that Richardson had to concede a corner from. Robertson’s right wing cross caught a Notts County head on the way through; Danns took a corner from the left that caused chaos in the Notts County defence at the near post. The ball broke to Adam Boyd who stabbed the ball towards goal – and when his initial effort was blocked he was able to get a foot on it from the ground to send it into the net via a helpless defender. The expressions on the faces of Garden and his defenders said it all at this point: not even bothering to yell at each other, they simply stared in desperation at each other in the knowledge of their impending doom and the realisation that the game was up.

 

A minute later it most certainly was. Straight from the kickoff Boyd harried the man on the ball on the left enough to win a throw in that Pools subsequently won a corner from. Danns again swung the ball across – this time it was cleared to Sweeney. His cross from the left found Boyd, who did superbly to get his foot to the ball and lift it over the stranded keeper into the net. Two goals in as many minutes from Boydie, and not only that – his running and hard work had done much to get Pools the opportunities in the first place.

 

Pools now looked as if it was a case of how many they’d score, and it almost became four on 58 minutes. Clarke did well to beat a defender to the punch as he tried to shepherd the ball out for a goal kick; not only did he keep the ball in play, he managed to pick out a completely unmarked Eifion in the box. He tried a first time effort that spun up in the air and back to him; then with plenty of time to set himself he blasted a powerful shot just wide of the near post. Straight after Fenton was booked for giving the referee too much lip.

 

County did think for a moment that they’d pulled one back on 61 minutes; a corner from the Pools left found Fenton, but even as he put the ball into the net the Ref was blowing his whistle for a push in the box. Three minutes later they went looking for a penalty after one of their players (Parkinson I think) went down in the box – the referee though emphatically signalled that there was no foul and played on.

 

A minute later more good play from Boyd down the right wing saw him cut the ball back towards Eifion at the near post – but he found Pipe sliding in at the same time to clear. Pipe was injured in the process, immediately being replaced by Wilson.

 

Humphreys was then booked apparently for a foul on Wilson; the free kick was cleared out towards the left. Eifion did well to win the ball well into the Pools half of the field; he quickly advanced down the left, beat his man, and then played a superb ball ahead of Hugh Robertson, who galloped towards goal, saw his shot from the edge of the area blocked, and then collected the rebound to score after rounding the struggling Garden.

 

72 minutes finally saw Notts County force a save out of Provett; however Fenton’s long-range effort never looked like causing real trouble for the Pools keeper. With the game secure, Cooper decided to ring the changes as Strachan and Istead came on for Danns and the impressive Clarke. Darrell had had a good game out on the right, looking to come in late at the far post when we attacked down the left and getting in some decent crosses of his own.

 

Provett finally had some meaningful work to do on 76 minutes. A cross from the right by Wilson was met by Heffernan, and Provett did well to block the first effort and then got up quickly to snuff out another. Craddock needed a little treatment as the ball was worked clear, but was soon able to resume.

 

Eifion looked desperate for a goal, and with the game already secure he showed something of a selfish streak on 79 minutes. He was played through on the right, and cut into the box before shooting wide of the near post – with two of his colleagues arriving in much better positions in the middle.

 

The last real chance for our opponents came on 81 minutes, with a free kick on the right. Oakes struck a long range effort with pace – but also wide of Provett’s far post. Heffernan’s long-range pot shot a minute later could hardly be considered a chance, heading well wide and being born more of despair than anything.

 

Porter replaced Boyd with eight minutes remaining, the Pools Striker getting a great ovation after yet another hard-working performance capped with two goals.

 

A good run and cross from Istead almost saw Pools make it five a minute after: his teasing cross just needed a touch to send it into the net, but was too far ahead of Eifion.

 

Heffernan became the third Notts County player to be booked on 86 minutes, and rightly so after going through Robertson from behind. A couple of minutes later Pools won a corner that found it’s way out to Istead on the right of the penalty area – he turned well and shot, only to see his effort hit the bar. There was time for Porter to make a good break down the left that was unfortunately not matched by his cross, before three uneventful minutes of injury time were played. The final whistle was blown to put Notts County out of their misery, and Pools had bagged another good win and another four goals.

 

Notts County looked very much what they are – a side all but relegated and playing with little or no confidence. Pools were a cut above, and even though there was plenty of effort from our opponents, especially in the first half, you always felt that Pools were not only the more dangerous and classy side, but also had the potential to go up a gear or two. That’s precisely what we did in the second half, and County can is some ways consider themselves lucky to have got away with just a four goal beating.

 

Plenty of plus points for Pools today. Humphreys looked close to his best and deserved his man of the math award; Boyd looked a class act with his combination of ability and hard work; Tinkler once again organised the back line superbly; and Darrell Clarke also had a good game on the right. Other sides around us dropped points, and we are five points clear of Port Vale. All eyes will now turn to Kenilworth Road on Tuesday; a draw between Luton and Bournemouth would do our playoff ambitions a power of good without even kicking a ball!

 

For the moment though it’s time to bask in the warm rosy glow of a good performance, a four goal victory, and the knowledge that from the Youth set-up all the way to the first team, we’ve never had it so good.