By Albatross
May 18 2005

It's taken us five attempts, but finally Hartlepool United have reached a playoff final. After a brief delay to allow for descent from Cloud Nine, here's the match report from last night's fateful game. Pools lined up unchanged from Friday; meanwhile, Tranmere replaced Theo Whitmore with Eugene Dadi in a clear sign that they were intending to chase the game right from the start.

Pools started relatively brightly though, winning a corner on the left; Strachan swung the ball in to the near post where Westwood headed over. As the box cleared McAteer was revealed on the ground although he recovered after treatment. Shortly after rejoining the action he tried a 20 yarder that had little power and was easy for Dimi to take.

Pools were not committing too many men forward, and the ball seemed to be coming back at us fairly quickly. One example came on 6 minutes; Humphreys intercepted the ball in midfied and strode forward, but lacking the pace to get past his man was forced wide and lost the ball. Tranmere attacked at speed, with a cross from the right coming over for Dadi to head over the bar - although the Ref, who didn't have the best of nights, gave a corner that Pools eventually hooked clear after an initial clearing header and then punch from Dimi.

While Tranmere were certainly doing most of the attacking, Pools were showing the odd glimpse themselves. On 10 minutes Boyd chased down the flank to force a throw that Humphreys took long; although the ball was flicked on at the near post Achterberg claimed it easily.

Hume almost claimed the first goal a couple of minutes later. A free kick from the left was only half cleared, and the ball came in from the left into the Canadian International's feet; he turned, and from 10 yards hit the bar. A couple of minutes later Barron found himself outnumbered on the right, the cross coming in being headed across goal by Dadi but going well wide.

Eifion Williams and Daly linked up well on 16 minutes, with the Welshman being sent clear fown the right; his cross found no-one in the box, and instead reached Humphreys on the left who lost out to a Tranmere defender.

However, things were becoming increasingly more pressurised for the Pools defence as Tranmere sustained attack after attack. Nelson and Westwood were on top form however, and coupled with an inability to provide a really telling final ball Rovers were struggling to generate clear chances. One almost came in controversial circumstances though; on a rare foray into Tranemre territory Eifion Williams went down after a robust challenge and stayed down. Rather than kick the ball out to allow treatment, the defenders played the ball across the back and then through midfield to their left flank - where the lack of Eifion, still prostrate on the turf at the other end, allowed them to get in a dnagerous cross that Westie narrowly avoided turning into his own net.

Eifion went off for treatment, but for McAteer the game was over. He'd picked up concussion apparently, and was taken off to be replaced by Danny Harrison. Pools meanwhile still had Eifion off the pitch as Westie headed the corner he'd conceded away.

Robson was having a solid game defensively on the left, and on 23 minutes gave us a chance to see the other part of his game; he went on a tremendous run, similar to the one that won the free kick he almost converted in the first game, before seeming to be fouled about 20 yards out; the Ref waved play on, Tranmere took advantage of the space on our left, and Dimi had to make a great stop low down to his left from Dadi.

Sharps was lucky to avoid a booking on the half hour; Pools had got the ball to Boyd still well inside his own half, and he turned beautifully to leave Sharps struggling, but the Tranmere defender cynically hauled him down before he could make further progress. The Ref spoke to him, but left it at that. Dadi was also given a warning a few minutes later; his attempts to get the better of Nelson in the air were being frustrated, and he was having to resort to trying foul means to get ahead of the Pools defender.

Another rare Pools attack on 42 minutes saw us produce our best move of the game so far. Robson collected the ball in the left back position, and with a little time and space picked out Humphreys. Pools played the ball through midfield into attack, where Williams got in a cross from the right that Achterberg had to claim at the far post with Daly lurking.

As half time approached, Tranmere's inability to break down the resolute Pools defence despite almost constant pressure boiled over. Nelson got in a block tackle on Hume that allowed Robson to clear his lines; Hume though wasn't happy with the challenge and retaliated with his fist - right in front of the Linesman. The ref blew his whistle, Hume was restrained by his own players, and after a discussion with his assistant the Ref decided to show Hume a yellow card that could easily have been red.

Injury time saw Pools again on the back foot, with a cross from the right missing everyone, and then the return from the other flank having to be put behind for a corner by Nelson. From the corner Goodison headed powerfully towards goal from close range - but Dimi reacted at the speed of light to force theball over the bar. A real top draw stop from the Pools keeper, as good a reaction save as you're likely to see, and it ensured Pools went in at the break level on the night. Tranny had dominated proceedings, pinning us back for most of the half - but their final ball was too often lacking, and when they did make clear chances Konstantopoulos was there to deny them.

If the first half had seen the Pools goal under siege, the second saw our opponents taking matters even further. The first twenty minutes or so seemed to pass in a haze of constant attacking from the home side, heroic defending from the back four, and Dimi proving time and again that he must be one of the best keepers outside of the Premiership.

With Pools seeming to be coping with whatever the Tranmere attack could throw at us, Little made another change on 55 minutes, replacing Goodison with the out and out winger Beresford. He'd hardly been on the pitch for five minutes before he'd supplied a great cross for Hall to head downwards - only for Dimi to make another fine stop. Shortly after he somehow scooped out another goal-bound header as the pressure intensified still further. Pools though were guilty of giving Tranmere too much space in wide areas - possibly the addition of Beresford on the left meant that we were simply getting too stretched, and without being able to get much possession themselves it was proving impossible to force them back. With Roberts and Beresford on one wing and Taylor and Hall on the other our wide players more than had their hands full.

There was a big blow for Pools therefore on 65 minutes when Barron - who'd had a steady game at right back - went down and had to leave the field for treatment and John Murray signalled that he couldn't continue. Scott responded by bringing on Tinkler, and that meant a reorganisation - Tinks slotted into the centre of defence, with Westwood moving across to right back. The separation of our impressive partnership at the back though soon meant that Tranmere were able to get more joy from our defence, especially as Westie's pace was sorely missed. Pools did have an opportunity just after though; Daly picked up a throw in 20 yards out and drove a powerful shot towards goal - but unfortunately also directly towards Achterberg, who had little difficulty in making the save.

On 70 minutes Pools brave defence was finally breached. Tinkler gave away a free kick when he fouled Hume 20 yards out; TAYLOR stepped up to curl the ball round the wall and into the left hand corner. Three minutes later he had another chance from open play - but spooned the ball well over the bar. Scott decided that now was the time to bring Porter off the bench, replacing Jon Daly.

Porter immediately began to make an impact, first of all with a run down the right touchline followed by a decent cross that found no Pools player close enough to take advantage, and then another run down the other flank that almost saw him break through. Boyd tried an ambitious curling shot on 73 minutes that had Achterberg scampering a little but claiming eventually fairly comfortably.

Pools though were starting to get caught for pace a little at the back, and gave away another couple of free kicks that the wall dealt with; Dadi also headed wide at the far post from a left wing cross as we continued to give far too much time and space to Tranmere's wide men. Scott made his last substitution with about five minutes to go, Butler replacing Boyd. Initially we seemed to leave Porter on his own up front, but if we had hoped to hold out to the end we were soon to be dissappointed: on 87 minutes the home side attacked from the left, switched to the right, and then when the ball was played across BERESFORD was on hand to sweep home. The Tranny fans celebrated like it was all over!

Pools however held out - but only just. Eifion needed lengthy treatment after Sharps blasted the ball directly at him from close range; and with injury time being played Dimi made another great stop from Hall. There was still just time before the whistle went for Sweeney to break into the box after some good play down the left, only for Sharps to deny the Pools midfielder the chance to finish it there and then.

Extra Time then, and Pools had to be a little more ambitious. Williams moved up front alongside Porter; Butler slotted in on the left, and Humphreys switched to the right. Pools had the first opportunity, a Strachan free kick headed wide; then Dadi headed over on 93 minutes. A minute later Westie was beaten down the flank by Beresford, and couldn't really complain about being shown yellow after catching the Tranmere winger late. Nelson cleared the free kick for a throw that was also cleared.

Tinkler gave another free kick away on 96 minutes; this time, from 25 yards out and left of centre, Taylor tried to find the far corner but saw Dimi make another great save low down to his left. The 100 minute mark saw Dimi making a more straightforward stop, Harrison's shot from 20 yards came through a crowd of players though and the Pools keeper probably saw it late. Porter had a couple of runs down the flanks, first from the left producing a good cross to the far post, and then forcing a corner on the right that Achterberg claimed just before the half time whistle.

The second half saw Pools starting to press more - but it seemed that one of our players would have to be shot to win a free kick. Butler did well to get down the left before whipping in a cross; and with Pools continuing to look forward Porter went down under a challenge that was so obviously a foul that even the Tranmere players stopped, expecting a whistle that never came. Sweeney intercepted 35 yards out on 109 minutes, beat a man onto the way into the box but was tackled to win a corner for Pools.

Tranmere were still looking dangerous though, and Dimi had to make another good save on 111 minutes. With just five minutes to play Pools managed a more sustained spell of pressure, Porter and Humphreys combining to send over a cross that was put behind for a corner; the flag kick wasn't well cleared, and Butler collected and moved into the box to deliver a teasing low cross. Sweeney saw his shot blocked, and then Porter put the ball just wide from the edge of the area. A couple of minutes later Sweeney, wide on the left, collected a cross from the opposite flank and deliverd a low cross that was headed away for a Pools throw. The last significant action also involved Sweeney; right at the death he latched onto Porter's pass before being felled in the box. Surprisingly the Ref saw nothing wrong with the challenge - I have seen penalties given for much less. There was just about enough time for Dagnall to replace Dadi and for the home side to win a corner that Pools dealt with safely before the final whistle went and we were into penalties.

The kicks were to be taken at the far end, in front of the Tranmere fans; but Pools knew that we had the best player on the pitch in Dimi, and he'd already won us one shootout this season.

Sure enough, Dimi made a great start. Taylor stepped up to take the first penalty, and tried to place it to the left - and Dimi guessed correctly to give Pools an early advantage. Strachan made it count by despatching his into the right bottom corner.

Paul Hall was next up, and he took a confident penalty into the left corner, giving Dimi no chance; and the scores stayed level as Tinkler put his penalty in the same place as Taylor had, and suffered a similar fate with Achterberg saving.

Roberts scored the next for Tranmere off the bar; Porter responded by sending Achterberg the wrong way with a penalty low to the left. Hume then scored his spot kick, putting it high to the left to give Konstantopoulos no opportunity to stop it; Robson then took a confident penalty into the right corner to keep things level.

Dagnall then had pretty much his first kick of the game with Tranmere's fifth penalty, putting his shot to the right of the goal - and he must have breathed a sigh of relief as Dimi got a hand to it but couldn't stop it going in. Quite a few Poolie hearts were in mouths as Chris Westwood went up to take the next for Pools - but he finished superbly, a great penalty low into the left corner.

Beresford scored the next with ease, but as Sweeney moved forward achterberg tried to play a few games. He'd already been leaving it as late as possible to move into position; now he tried to dispute where the ball should go. The Ref didn't take kindly to this gamesmanship and booked him before Sweens scored via the left post.

5-5, and we were well into the players that hadn't been first choices: who would crack first? The answer was Tranmere; Sharps stepped forward, put his penalty low and to the left - and saw Dimi pull off yet another fantastic save. And who should step forward but Richie Humphreys. Having not had a particularly good game, and having not really taken a penalty since missing at Cheltenham in the playoffs three years ago, Richie showed tremendous bottle to step up and place his penalty into the net via the right hand post - and erase the memory of Whaddon Road. Every Poolie went totally ape, the burst of noise from every throat in the away end must have been heard across the Mersey, and the celebrations went into full swing!

Looking back on it, Pools were highly fortunate to get through. All through normal time Tranmere had us virtually under siege; we didn't create a great deal, and had it not been for great performances from all of the back four and especially Dimi in the Pools goal we could have been dead and buried in less than an hour. We conceded possession a little too easily, and gave far too much room to the home side's wide players. However at long last we have reached a Playoff Final, not before time, and I'll take lucky winners over gallant losers every time. Pools are going to Cardiff - and this team continues to break new ground in Poolie History.