Goals:

0-1: Mensah (43, planted a header in at the far post after meeting a cross from the right)

0-2: Kellerman (87, a confident and assured finish after breaking from deep)

Bookings: McDonnell (foul 49); Cassidy (54, foul); Featherstone (79, foul)

Referee: Dan Middleton (Derby): Had nothing to get involved with during a game of little incident 7

Attendance: 3,732

Entertainment:1/5

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2):

5 Loach: Had nothing to do really, alert throughout and could do nothing about the goals he conceded;

5 Richardson: Does a steady enough job at right back and a lot is being asked of him to replace captain Carl Magnay

6 Donnelly: Some vital tackles and interceptions halted the visitors in their tracks, and was Pools best defender all afternoon

4 Harrison: Regularly turned and left chasing back towards his own goal, scrambling to clear when put under pressure

5 Adams: In and out of the game, saw a lot of the ball without a great deal of impact with it;

5 Franks: Tried to create openings from tight situations out wide, but his crosses were often easily nodded away by the visiting defence

4 Featherstone: Never made any important passes as Pools were second best in midfield all afternoon

5 George: Likes to get stuck in and it showed, could be better used as a deep lying defensive midfielder rather than Featherstone playing that role

4 Deverdics: His set-plays weren’t up to much all afternoon and, from open play, he hardly got involved from the left flank;

3 Rodney: Given a chance up front and the game just passed him by as he played with no drive or determination

6 Cassidy: Put himself about up front, challenged for headers, chased the channels and had to do the job to two men in the forward line.

Subs:

Oates (for Rodney 60): First change and put on the right side to try and offer some drive in a change of formation 4

Munns (for Adams 69): Didn’t have much chance to impress, but another game went by without him making any impact 4

Woods (for George 69): Moved into central midfield, but it was a battle Pools had already lost in there 4

(not used): Newton, Ledger.

ALDERSHOT TOWN (4-2-3-1): Ward 5; Alexander 6, Evans 7, Fowler 7, Reynolds 6; Kellerman 7, McDonnell 5; Rowe 7, Robert 5 (Gallagher 71), Mensah 6 (Rendell 68); Fenelon 6 (Lyons-Foster 89). Sub (not used): Skinner.

Man of the match: George Fowler, held the visiting defence together and controlled possession as the game went on.