Goals:
1-0: Roofe (8, finished from close range after Serbcome’s shot struck the crossbar and came back)
2-0: Serombe (90, broke out from holding the ball in the corner to confidently net)
Bookings: Scarz (28, foul); Bates (38, foul), Hawkins (62, foul); Carroll (64, foul)
Referee: Ben Toner (Darwen): Quite a weak performance, allowed the home players to dictate to him 4
Attendance: 7955
Entertainment: 3/5
OXFORD UNITED (4-4-2): Buchel 6; Kenny 6, Dunkley 7, Wright 6, Scarz 6 (Lundstram 65, 6); Macdonald 7 (Roberts 76), Sercombe 7, Ruffels 7, Maguire 7; Hylton 7, Roofe 7 (O’Dowda 57, 6). Subs (not used): Slocombe (gk), Mullins, Waring, Bowery.
HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-3):
6 Carson: A typically assured display throughout, made a fine one-handed save late on to keep Pools in it at one-down;
5 Magnay: Didn’t start the opening half well, as too many passes went astray. Never hid from the game, as he improved and turned into a solid display
7 Bates: Twice went close to scoring and at the back gave the sort of performance that has become the norm in the second half of this season
7 Jackson: Some vital interceptions, important headers, and firm tackles in defence when Pools came under pressure
6 Carroll: Pegged back quite a bit by the lively and direct Macdonald, and his game was more about defending than it was supporting attacks;
7 Hawkins: Mobile throughout and effective on the ball, keeping the home side working as he put them under pressure and used possession intelligently
8 FEATHERSTONE: Imperious on the ball, as Oxford couldn’t get near him when he had it. Found space, picked his passes out and controlled Pools patterns of play
6 Woods: Part of a very effective midfield three in the centre of the park, always trying to keep the ball moving;
6 Thomas: Struggled at times to have the impact he’s had in recent away games as Oxford doubled up on him – did create some spark in the second-half
6 James: Snuffed out in the main by the home centre-halves – not for the want of trying, but it didn’t quite happen for him with few openings
5 Gray: Tried hard to get going in the first half from a wide right spot, and was again replaced in the second half as he tired.
Subs:
Oates (for Gray 70): Pitched up front through the middle as Pools put bodies up front 5
Bingham (for Woods 79)
Duckworth (for James 84)
(not used): Bartlett (gk), Richards, Laurent, R Jones.
MAN OF THE MATCH Nicky Featherstone – can never have played better in his career and his improvement this season has been immense
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