With no Easington game today, I didn’t know where to go. I quite fancied doing a new ground somewhere, but the option of Hartlepool’s FA Cup game and then another game elsewhere was tempting too. I looked at loads of different games, but the vast majority were far too expensive for me on trains. Whitby was what I thought to be the best option for a new ground, but I just couldn’t decide. So, I got my Twitter followers to decide, and they picked this game and then Horden.
Match report:
Pools beat Blackpool to progress to FA Cup Fourth Round
Hartlepool United booked their spot in the Fourth Round of the FA Cup with an impressive 2-1 win at home to Championship side Blackpool on Saturday afternoon.
In an early 12:30 kick-off, Blackpool took the lead through Keshi Anderson in just the eighth minute, but Pools equalised early in the second half through David Ferguson.
Joe Grey’s 61st minute strike put Pools ahead, and Blackpool had no response.
Pools looked bright in the opening couple of minutes, with Tom Crawford forcing a save from Daniel Grimshaw before Gavan Holohan shot over, but Blackpool soon got a foothold of the game.
Gary Madine forced a routine save from Hartlepool ‘keeper Ben Killip in the fifth minute, before Blackpool took the lead in the eighth minute. A long ball down the right picked out Josh Bowler, and he found a way past Timi Odusina near the byline. Bowler pulled it back to Madine whose somewhat scuffed effort was saved, and the rebound looked to drop to Anderson. He swung and totally missed when trying to convert a first time effort, but the ball was still there for him to take control and find room to fire home.
Blackpool had the ball in the net again four minutes later through Callum Connolly’s header, but it was disallowed as the assistant had his flag up.
In the 24th minute, Blackpool – now comfortably on top – should have had a second. Anderson’s cross picked out Shayne Lavery at the near post who looked destined to score, but he somehow put it wide.
Chances continued to come for Blackpool. Madine had an effort crucially blocked on the half hour mark, before the same man had a header cleared off the line after he had peeled away from his marker to latch onto a corner.
Pools’ first shot on target came in the 40th minute through Mark Cullen, but the former Blackpool man could only send a header straight at Grimshaw.
Northern Ireland international Lavery had another big chance for the visitors before the break, but once again, he couldn’t find the target.
At half-time, it looked difficult to see how Pools could get back into the game, but having been second best in the first half, the second half was a totally different story.
Blackpool were asleep in the opening exchanges of the second half, and a revitalised Pools capitalised by equalising in the 48th minute. Nicky Featherstone shifted the ball out to Ferguson on the left, and he cut in to beat his man before taking aim from 18 yards. His effort took a wicked deflection off Dujon Sterling to wrongfoot the ‘keeper, and it nestled into the net.
Pools now had belief, and Blackpool’s poor start to the second half continued. Bowler had a half chance go well wide for Blackpool, but it was now Pools seeing more of the ball.
And, seconds after the hour mark, Pools took the lead. Blackpool goalkeeper looked to go long, but his poor clearance dropped straight to Crawford still in the Blackpool half. Crawford burst forward before slotting a ball through to substitute Grey who had found room, and he tucked the ball past Grimshaw at the near post.
CJ Hamilton should have pulled Blackpool level just two minutes after Pools took the lead, but his awful miss went wide from close range, and the same man put another great chance wide for the Tangerines a minute later.
Now ahead, Pools looked to manage the game, and they did exactly that.
Blackpool were constantly pushing, but they never looked overly likely to score.
By the time they created a couple of chances, less than five minutes remained.
Lavery – who probably should have been looking for his hat-trick after his first half misses – rose to send a header towards goal with three minutes of time remaining, but thankfully for Pools, it bounced wide.
Hartlepool were putting their bodies on the line late on, and numerous blocks denied the Championship outfit.
One more big chance remained, and it went the way of Pools. Mike Fondop isn’t the most popular player among the Pools fans, and having only come on a minute earlier, he found himself through on goal in injury time. With just the ‘keeper to beat, he should have scored, but he chipped the ball straight into the hands of Grimshaw.
However, it didn’t matter as the final whistle soon followed to put Pools into the Fourth Round for the first time since 2009.
Full-time: Hartlepool United 2-1 Blackpool
Next up for me is Sunderland Ladies vs Crystal Palace Women tomorrow.
Hartlepool United: Killip, Byrne, Liddle, Odusina, Sterry, Featherstone (c), Crawford, Holohan, Ferguson, Molyneux (Fondop, 90+1′), Culllen (Grey, 59′)
Unused subs: Boyes, Francis-Angol, Ogle, Daly, Shelton, Smith, Olomolo
Blackpool: Grimshaw, Sterling, Ekpiteta (c) (Yates, 78′), Keogh, Husband (Garbutt, 41′), Connolly, Dougall, Bowler (Mitchell, 78′), Anderson (Hamilton, 34′), Lavery, Madine
Unused subs: Moore, Monks, Gabriel, Casey, Mariette
Admission: £15 adults, £10 concessions, £5 under 16s
Attendance: 4,942 (584 from Blackpool)
Programme: Didn’t get one
Referee: Matt Donohue
Connor's Football Travels 