Goals:
0-1: Thomas (4, bundled in from close range)
1-1: Pett (27, tap in from a low right-sided ball)
2-1: Walker (44, overhead kick after Pools didn’t deal with a corner)
3-1: Wells (54, another corner not dealt with and defender knocked home)
4-1: Walker 57, picked out on the penalty spot to slot in)
5-1: Tonge (69, low penalty finish after Magnay fouled in the area)
6-1: Godden (77, long ball caught Pools out and he headed in)
Bookings: Ntlhe (35, foul); Richards (43, foul)
Referee: John Busby (Oxford): Not the reason Pools lost, but his decision making was poor – not helped by his assistants and a petty fourth-official 5
Entertainment: 1/5
STEVENAGE (4-4-2): Jones 5; Henry 6 (Kerr 82), Wells 7 (Lee 77), Franks 6, Ntlhe 7; Pett 8, Tonge 7, King6 , Fox 6; WALKER 8 (Cowans 73), Godden 6. Subs (not used): Day (gk), Liburd, Hyde, Hunte.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-3):
5 Bartlett: Conceded six, exposed for five of them, can be blamed for the sixth, but still kept it down to single figures;
4 Richards: Lovely cross for the opening goal, from then on it was downhill all the way as he was put under pressure
2 Magnay: Filled in at centre-half, and was open and exposed time and time again. A disastrous afternoon as captain
2 Harrison: Started as the best player on the pitch, but standards dropped and got ragged. Weak header brought goal number two
2 Carroll: Needlessly caught on the ball (not the first-time) to concede the first and never recovered from his error;
3 Featherstone: When Pools passed it about he was at the heart of it, when they were under pressure he wasn’t involved
3 Woods: Like Featherstone soon disappeared off the radar after a promising opening and never had any influence
3 Deverdics: Yet to get going since his summer move, busy early on, but should be showing more of what made him a 15-goal midfielder last season;
4 Alessandra: Been the pick of the summer signings so far, but this wasn’t a day for attackers in a blue and white shirt
4 Amond: Tough job alone in the middle against big centre-halves, chased and harassed but had zero service to work with
3 Thomas: Had a good opening to make it 2-2, but fluffed his shot when he had better options.
Subs:
Paynter (for Deverdics 56): Looked like he was being introduced at half-time, and Pools missed his presence from the off 4
Fewster (for Amond 60): Game was over by the time he was introduced 4
Laurent (for Woods 69): Thrown into midfield, but it was no longer a contest by then 4
(not used): Hawkins, Martin, Dudzinski, Heardman.
MAN OF THE MATCH TYLER Walker – lively, direct and Pools couldn’t handle the Nottingham Forest loanee.
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