Goals:
0-1: Akinde (65 turned Bates and fired a firm angled shot into the far corner)
0-2: Akinola (71, tapped in from close range after the defence was ripped apart down the flank)
Bookings: None
Referee: Trevor Kettle (Rutland): Pools are so tame they never looked like getting tackle in or getting anyone booked 6
Attendance: 4,208
Entertainment: 1/5
HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-3):
5 Fryer: Early save from Akinde’s header may have staved off the inevitable but at least it kept Pools in the game for longer;
5 Magnay: Gave his all, showed his effort and commitment and showed he cares. Tough going on his return from long-term injury
4 Bates: Happy to sit deep and defend on the edge of his own area, but was found wanting as the game went on after so long on the sidelines
4 Harrison: Like against Akinfenwe and Wycombe the other week he never got any success against a big striker in Akinde
4 Deverdics: Given a tough time early on especially but gained a foothold in his battle with Shomotun. Playing out of position, there’s no one else available at left back;
3 Walker: His good run of form is over, returned to midfield and returned to his bad old ways as the game passed him by
4 Featherstone: Bogged down in midfield, especially as Pools sat deep inside their own half. Never got any momentum going to keep Pools ticking over
5 Woods: At least he put himself about a bit in the first-half, as a couple of tackles and challenges lifted the crowd;
3 Alessandra: Again promised so much and delivered so little. Gets brushed off the ball far too easily under any sort of challenge
4 Oates: A thankless task as he played up front alone in the middle with no-one within 30 yards of him most of the time and then was shunted out left instead of getting support
4 Thomas: Body language shows how unhappy he is playing under this management team. The free-flowing winger of earlier this season isn’t there.
Subs:
Amond (for Alessandra 59): Rather than being pitched up front in a pairing, he was left alone – an impossible job as it proved earlier for Oates 5
Blackford (for Featherstone 69): Direct and looked to get forward, but playing a youngster in this situation isn’t good for anyone 6
(not used): Carson (gk), Hawkins, Rooney, Rodney.
BARNET (4-5-1): Vickers 6; H Taylor 6, Nelson 7, Clough 7, Johnson 7; Shomotun 7 (Champion 64, 6), J Taylor 7 (Fonguck 89), Weston 7, Izquierdo 6 (Akinola 64, 6), Campbell-Ryce 7; J Akinde 8. Subs (not used): McKenzie-Lyle, Santos, Coulson, S Akinde.
MAN OF THE MATCH John Akinde – scored one, could have had three and Pools couldn’t handle him at all.
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