ALL the facts from Hartlepool's win over Stevenage.
Hartlepool 2 Stevenage 0
Goals:
1-0: Featherstone (41, composed finish after his first shot was kept out after he surged into the penalty area)
2-0: Walker (45, left-footed tap-in from ten yards after beign set up by Oates)
Bookings: Oates (60, unsporting behaviour); Henry (86, foul), Lee (88, foul)
Referee: David Webb (Sunderland): Should have booked full-back Lee twice, but only did it once, harshly booked Oates and got in the way of Pools’ play on a couple of occasions 4
Attendance: 3,383
Entertainment: 4/5
HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-3):
6 Bartlett: Rarely troubled directly, and while the opposition twice hit the bar, it was a rather straight-forward afternoon;
7 Donnelly: Always willing to get forward and was afforded the space to do it, very comfortable and tight on the right
8 Harrison: Utterly dominant; where he and Pools were bullied by Stevenage earlier in the season, he was a big presence this time
7 Bates: At ease reading the game well and being in the right position to mop up in and around his area
7 Kavanagh: Busy in possession, alert throughout and if Jones wants his full-backs to push on and join in the attacks, Pools have the perfect man on the left;
8 WALKER: In from nowhere to make his mark from the start – challenged, used the ball simply and effectively and scored to cap off a great display
7 Featherstone: Used the ball with more purpose in midfield this time as he made attempts to get the ball forward and into advanced positions
7 Woods: Like Featherstone he was much more dominant and authorative than of late and when Pools kept the ball in the second half he was at the heart of it all;
6 Hawkins: Played in a more advanced role up in a front three and adapted comfortably. Busy on the ball and put a healthy shift in
8 Oates: Where did this appearance come from? Previously unseen characteristics on display as he got at the defenders in his preferred central position
6 Alessandra: Technically sound, looking for space to get on the ball and use it when he had it.
Subs:
Amond (for Oates 74)
Laurent (for Walker 81)
Thomas (for Alessandra 85)
(not used): Catterick (gk), Martin, Richardson, Rodney.
STEVENAGE (4-5-1): Jones 5; Lee 3, Henry 4, Wilkinson 5, Franks 6; Schumacher 6, Gorman 5 (Tonge 73), Pett 6, Kennedy 5 (Loft 83), Cowans 4 (McQuoid 60, 3); Godden 4. Subs (not used): McAnuff, Liburd, Day (gk), Johnson.
MAN OF THE MATCH
BRAD Walker – has the player of three seasons ago returned? On this display he could well have done.
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