Goals:
1-0: Donaldson (15; low shot from the edge of the area was deflected in to wrongfoot the keeper)
1-1: Healey (81, picked his spot and fired into the corner of the net across Loach)
Bookings: Newton (5, foul); Young (10, foul)
Referee: Simeon Lucas (Blackburn): Two big calls to make, two bad calls made; a penalty against Pools and sending Cunningham off 3
Attendance: 3244
Entertainment: 1/5
HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2)
8 Loach: Saved a penalty, made plenty of fine saves as he came under incessant second-half pressure;
6 Hawkins: He’s no right back, but deserves some credit for standing up to the defensive task of late
6 Laing: Did the things he had to do – head away, clear and make tackles without any fuss. Harsh decision to concede a penalty
6 Harrison: Steady return to the side, but he and Laing seem to play as individuals without much of an understanding between them
5 Adams: Some limp and loose balls forward down the channel in the first half and sat deep with his other defenders as the game went on;
6 Newton: Early booking was another refereeing error, and his tenacity and strength was missed after being forced off through injury
5 Featherstone: You can tell when he’s below par as he gives the ball away cheaply and did on too many occasions
5 Donaldson: Playing at the tip of a midfield diamond suited him, but when he moved wide right he was ineffective
6 Hawkes: Always happy to get possession and move the ball on. Took a couple of whacks, which to his credit, didn’t affect him;
5 Oates: Another who was fine in his starting position before shifting roles when Pools changed formation. A couple of positive first-half surges forward caused problems
6 Cassidy: Drifted wide too often, leaving Pools without anyone in the area – needed to be in the box not outside it.
Subs:
Munns (for Newton 23): Little impact in a role playing off the striker 4
Cunningham (for Oates 65): Lasted 15 minutes before he was sent-off for a fair challenge 5
(not used): Catterick (gk), Orrell, Owen.
TORQUAY UNITED (3-5-2): Davies 5; Balatoni 3 (Downing 64, 6), McGinty 5, Gowling 6; Davies 6, Williams 6 (Keating 84), Young 5, Evans 6, Barnes 6 (Efete 79); Reid 7, Healey 6. Subs (not used): Clarke (gk), Klukowski.
MAN OF THE MATCH
Scott Loach – only one candidate on Saturday and only one candidate for a player of the year award
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