The weather is what normally ruins football plans and that was the case with many games tonight. The recent torrential rainfall has meant that a lot of games tonight were called off and I fully expected them too. One game I didn’t expect to be called off though was Easington’s trip to Consett in the Durham Challenge Cup. Consett play on a 4G pitch so there would be no way that it would be waterlogged, and it wasn’t. We were on our way to the game coming through Durham when we got a phone call saying the game was off due to floodlight failure. Apparently, the substation that provides the power for the lights had flooded and therefore couldn’t provide the power. It is frustrating but we have to accept that. So, we quickly turned around and I was home for 18.30. I knew that a few of my University coursemates were going to Hartlepool United vs Accrington Stanley having originally planned on doing Consett vs Easington but they changed their minds earlier in the day. I was able to get a lift through to Hartlepool arriving ten minutes before kick-off meaning that I did actually get to see a game. Exactly 150 days ago, I was watching Portugal on their win to winning the EURO’s. That was a drab game but I didn’t think I would be watching Accrington Stanley exactly 150 days later!

Match report:  

Deverdics and Alessandra on target as Hartlepool climb to 13th with victory over Accrington Stanley.

Nicky Deverdics and Lewis Alessandra both netted second half goals to help Hartlepool to a 2-0 win over Accrington Stanley on Tuesday night.

Deverdics gave Hartlepool the lead rebounding a controversial penalty in the 62nd minute and Alessandra wrapped up the points in the 92nd minute with a close-range strike.

Accrington had Mark Hughes sent off in the build up to Deverdics goal as Hartlepool were awarded a very soft penalty.

Hartlepool manager Craig Hignett made two changes from Saturday’s defeat at Doncaster rovers with Scott Harrison and James Martin coming in to replace Liam Donnelly and Jordan Richards.

It was the visitors who started the brighter and they could have taken the lead inside three minutes when the ball fell to Shay McCarten inside the penalty area but the former Burnley man could only scuff his effort while eight yards from goal.

The hosts were seeing spells of possession but it was Accrington creating the chances and on 12 minutes, Jordan Clark went close firing an effort just wide of the bottom corner.

Billy Kee could have given Stanley the lead in the 22nd minute when he met a Zak Vyner cross but Kee could only stab wide from point-blank range.

With Hartlepool’s first real opportunity, Deverdics linked up with Alessandra to play the former Rochdale man in but his effort was saved by Elliot Parish.

Accrington were left wondering how they weren’t a goal up on 32 minutes as a cross found Kee at the back post but he blazed wide from a matter of four yards.

The visitors had the ball in the net shortly after with a low John O’Sullivan effort but an early call had deemed the Irishman offside.

Accrington looked the brighter in the first half but couldn’t find a breakthrough and the two sides went into the break level.

Pools were brighter in the opening exchanges of the second half but it was Stanley who went close next as Hughes’ header was cleared off the line but Matthew Bates.

Then came the moment of controversy. A rather direct ball looked to pick out Hartlepool’s Toto Nsiala in the penalty area and his header forced a fine save from Parish. However, the referee blew up and pointed to the spot to the bemusement of most of the crowd. Suggesting there was a push in the penalty area, referee Richard Clark also gave Hughes his marching orders sending the former Stevenage man off.

Padraig Amond took responsibility for the penalty but Parish guessed correctly to save Amond’s poor penalty and Accrington blocked follow ups from both Alessandra and Lewis Hawkins.

However, there was nothing they could do about the third follow-up as an acrobatic effort from Deverdics picked out the corner to give the hosts the lead.

Down to ten men and a goal down, it certainly looked an uphill task for Accrington and it could have been made a near impossible deficit as substitute Jake Carroll fired an effort towards the bottom corner which Parish saved.

A second Accrington effort was cleared off the line on 76 minutes as Paddy Lacey rose to meet a corner but Josh Laurent headed off the line.

Laurent had a go himself moments later but could only force a comfortable save from Parish.

Rommy Boco – who had only been on the pitch for three minutes – almost proved to be a great substitution for Accrington when he pounced on a Nicky Featherstone mistake but a fine Trevor Carson gave prevented the Benin international.

The tension in the home end was noticeable but it was all relieved when Alessandra wrapped up the points for Hartlepool in the 92nd minute. A combination of a quick passing move and static defending helped Amond find room to drill the ball across goal where Alessandra knocked home.

The victory lifts Hartlepool to 13th in the league, only four points from both the play-offs and the relegation zone.

Full-time: Hartlepool United 2-0 Accrington Stanley

Next up for me is possibly Brandon United vs Darlington RA tomorrow.

Hartlepool United Team: Carson, Harrison, Bates, Nsiala, Hawkins, Martin (Carroll, 67′), Featherstone (c), Laurent, Deverdics (Woods, 76′), Alessandra, Amond

Unused subs: Bartlett, Walker, Orrell, Oates, Paynter

Accrington Stanley Team: Parish, Hughes, Beckles, Vyner, Clarke, Brown, McCartan, McConville, O’Sullivan, Conneely (c) (Boco, 81′), Kee (Lacey, 69′)

Unused subs: Davies, Gornell, Taylor-Fletcher, Chapman, Skyes

Admission: £18/£20 adults, £9/£10 concessions

Programme: £3

Attendance: 2,514 (59 from Accrington Stanley)

Referee: Richard Clark