September 9, 2023
Today’s fixture at Court Place Farm saw a match-up between the sides in 17th vs 4th places in the National League table.
Hartlepool were the bookies third favourites to win the league, after Chesterfield and Barnet, with prices ranging between 10/1 to 14/1, and between 9/2 to 11/2 for promotion.
Hartlepool are in danger of becoming a yo-yo club between League Two and the National League. They were relegated from League 2 at the end of 2016/17 and spent four seasons in National League before winning a promotion play-off against Torquay on penalties. They enjoyed only two seasons in League 2 seasons before being relegated last season. It is notoriously difficult to bounce back after only one season in the National League, with only Cheltenham in 2015/16 and Grimsby in 2021/22 being able to do so in recent seasons.
Manager John Askey was appointed in February 2023, and despite a vast improvement in results towards the end of season, he was unable to save them from the drop, with 0-2 home to defeat at the hands of Crawley Town probably being the key result, as the Reds saved themselves at Hartlepool’s expense. Still, Askey has a track record of getting a side out of the National League, having done so with Macclesfield in 2017/18.
The Pools have had a decent start to the season with the two losses coming away to the two other promotion favourites, going down 2-3 at both Barnet and Chesterfield. Their five other fixtures were won, beating Gateshead 2-1, Maidenhead 3-1, Fylde 3-1 and Wealdstone 2-1 at home and winning 3-2 at Southend. With 29 goals in their 7 games to-date, and 23 in Oxford City’s, a high scoring encounter looked on the cards today.
Ex-Halifax, Chesterfield and Salford striker Emmanuel Dieseruvwe topped their scoring charts with 6 goals, whilst injured French forward Anthony Mancini, Charlie Seaman ( on-loan from Doncaster Rovers ), and Tom Crawford all had 2 goals each. Other names to look out for were right-back Luke Hendrie, on loan from Bradford City, and ex Bradford City, Peterborough and Blackpool midfielder Callum Cooke.
The most famous links to the club are probably ex-Soccer Saturday and Countdown presenter Jeff Stelling and former mascot and Hartlepool Mayor H’Angus The Monkey. Hartlepool are also referred to as the Monkey Hangers, after the story of a monkey being hanged during the Napoleanic Wars. According to the legend, when a French ship ran aground during a storm, the only survivor was a monkey. With the locals apparently never having seen a Frenchman nor a monkey before, it was presumed to be spy and hung !
As a Brighton supporter, my one previous experience of watching Hartlepool was the Fans United day in February 1997, when the emotional support from fans of clubs from all over the world for the Albion against their crooked ownership carried them to a 5-0 victory, with Hartlepool being the unfortunate collateral damage. Ironically the 5 goals that day were ultimately enough to save Albion from relegation in the only season when goals scored was the differentiator when sides were level on points, and Hereford were relegated instead. Albion now face Ajax, Marseille and AEK Athens in the Europa League, how different it could have been if Fans United never happened !
After losing their first three matches after promotion, Oxford City were now unbeaten in 4, with three draws and a win. They followed up their stunning 4-0 win over Boreham Wood with a commendable 3-3 draw at then league leaders Solihull Moors.
Today was another big test of their credentials, in front of another bumper crowd, especially with leading scorer Josh Parker ( 5 goals ) away on international duty with Antigua and defender Andre Burley away representing St Kitts and Nevis.
On a hot sunny day with temperatures around 30 degrees at the 15.00 kick-off time, Bet365 made Hartlepool 5/6 favourites, with Oxford City at 13/5 and the draw at 5/2.
Hartlepool faced a 240 mile journey by road, or a return trip of over 8 hours. Between 400-500 supporters made the journey, and were very vocal in support of their side at kick-off. There was no segregation for the game, although strangely, Hartlepool supporters were being directed to a separate entrance to the ground, although they could freely circulate once in the stadium. I could only presume this was an attempt to calculate the number of visiting supporters, which was announced as 448, although there was nothing to prevent away fans from entering via the main turnstile.
Pools were in their change kit of green and black stripes with red trim, and black shorts and socks, whilst the Hoops were in their usual blue and white hoops.
Hartlepool were immediately on the attack, and from a left-wing cross by Grey, Dieseruvwe out-jumped his marker, but the header was poor and easily gathered by keeper Haigh.
City defender Miccio was shown an early yellow card but from my vantage point it looked like Crawford had slipped, but the referee thought otherwise. The Hoops response was for Fleet to chip ahead for Sanderson to run onto, but his left-footed shot from the edge of the area lacked power, and Jameson made an easy save.
Pools though were on top early on. Dieseruvwe had an air-shot after Paterson had made a good run down the left and Crawford teed up the chance, then Paterson’s dangerous cross was clawed away from the top corner by Haigh, only for Seaman to fire over from 12 yards.
Pool were passing the ball around nicely, Grey was looking lively and Hendrie was seeing a lot of the ball.
After 11 minutes, a Hartlepool corner was only partially cleared, and when Potter attempted to make an acrobatic clearance, he made contact with Paterson, and a free-kick was awarded right on the edge of the area. It could easily have been adjudged to have been inside the 18-yard line and a penalty, but the Hoops got the benefit of the doubt. The free-kick from Cooke went under the wall, and Haigh made the low save.
At the other end, Potter’s smart pass put Moore in space down the right-wing and his cross to the back post was met by Coyle, but his right-footed volley from 8 yards went narrowly wide of the post.
Hartlepool continued to have most of the possession and Hendrie’s inside pass sent Seaman to the by-line but his low cross fizzed across the six-yard box and away to safety.
With 17 minutes played, Hendrie crossed deep beyond the back post where Dieseruvwe was unmarked and headed back across the 6-yard line. Grey looked to be crawling all over Carroll, but managed to get his head to the ball, which dribbled into the corner of the net past Haigh’s slow-motion dive. It was a soft goal for City to concede, and with the official deeming it to be a 50/50 challenge, the City keeper probably should have done better to make the save. The visiting fans didn’t care though as their side led 1-0.
The Hoops responded well to going behind, with Potter and Coyle linking to set-up Ashby but his effort from just outside the area was blocked, and then after patient build up play involving Moore, Harrison and Kirby, Moore ran onto Ashby’s flick through the defensive line, but keeper Jameson came off his line and the ball rebounded off the keeper and Moore and off for a goal-kick.
Inspite of all their passing football, the visitors looked most dangerous when the ball was launched into the air towards Dieseruvwe, and both Carroll and Harrison were having problems coping with the giant forward. Indeed, every throw-in was launched into the mixer in search of a flick on from the big man.
With the scorching heat, a water-break was called for after 24 minutes, and when play resumed, Potter spun past his marker only to be brought down, but the referee kept his card in his pocket.
The visitors were forced into a change in the 31st minute as Wallace had to leave the field to be replaced by Finney, but minute later the scores were level. Kirby and Moore combined and a lovely low cross from the right by Kirbt was met by Ollie Sanderson, whose left-footed side-footed finish from 8 yards gave the keeper no chance.
Stung by the equalizer Crawford sent a 25-yard effort narrowly wide, and the with 39 minutes on the clock, Cooke played a give and go with Dieseruvwe, and sent the return into the top corner from 25 yards for an unstoppable, quality finish. Keeper Haigh had no chance.
Pools continued to press but Finney’s header from Paterson’s cross was weak and Dieseruvwe was offside before he could capitalise.
At the half-time interval the 2-1 lead for Hartlepool was probably a fair score as they had enjoyed the lion’s share of the possession, with Hendrie in particular prompting many of their attacks as Oxford City perhaps had shown a bit too much respect to the visitors. Cooke’s strike was worthy of giving any side the lead.
Whatever was said over the half-time oranges, The Hoops came out looking a different side and started closing down the visitors’ space. Ashby robbed Cooke near half-way and after exchanging passes with Potter saw his shot blocked by a defender.
Patient play by Pool eventually saw Hendrie play in Dieseruvwe, who could only blaze over the clubhouse from just inside the 18 yard line. Seaman’s dangerous first-time cross then needed an athletic clearing by Carroll at the expense of a corner.
The home side made a double substitution in the 56th minute and the fresh legs had an almost immediate impact. Fleet sent Williams-Bushell on a marauding run down the left, which ended with a foul close to the by-line. Ashby’s free-kick was cleared only as far as Moore on the right, who crossed first-time to the far post for Carroll to head home from 6 yards to level the scores with 60 minutes played.
The Pools fans responded to the goal-scorer with the chant “You are just a shit Andy Carroll” but whilst the Hoops centre-back was still being serenaded, Fonkeu dispossessed Hendrie and broke and when the ball fell to Ashby just inside the area, he delivered a strike every bit as good as the one by Cooke to send the ball into the far corner and give the home side a 3-2 lead after 62 minutes.
With the home fans delirious, Sanderson’s stray pass gave Dieseruvwe a chance to break, only for Sanderson to commit a professional foul for a yellow card to end the danger.
It got even better for the home side in the 68th minute. Pools centre-back Onariase slipped whilst in possession and Fonkeu took advantage to run clear and slide the ball past the advancing Jameson to make it 4-2, and three goals in 8 minutes.
With Hartlepool falling apart from City’s pressing game, the water-break gave them the opportunity to re-group, but their fans were turning against their side and the insults were starting.
When the game restarted, City were playing champagne, short passing football with Hartlepool’s players constantly chasing shadows, with rings being run around them. You would not have guessed which side was in National League South last season !
Pools manager Askey’s response was to take off the substitute, as Finney was hooked for striker Umerah after 74 minutes. A minute later an in-swinging corner missed everyone and to the Hoops relieve bounced off for a goal-kick.
The home side were rampant now though, and Fleet fired a 25-yard effort a foot over the bar.
Hartlepool did win another corner but Onariase’s header was easily saved by Haigh. However, from another flowing City move Ashby’s 20-yard effort needed a great diving save from Jameson to push the ball round the post for a corner.
With five minutes left to play, an Ashby free-kick was delivered beyond the far post where the unmarked Miccio headed towards the opposite corner. The keeper made the save but Fonkeu was on hand to shoot from a close-range tight angle, and the ball hit Jameson and rolled over the line to give Oxford City a scarcely believable 5-2 lead.
With the game effectively over, Hartlepool had a few half-hearted chances in the closing stages and 8 added minutes. Cooke shot comfortably over after Carroll had beaten Umerah in an aerial challenge, then Umerah robbed Carroll but chose to shout into the club-house rather than play in Hastie.
The visitors’ fans continued to disparage the performance of their team, and the mood wasn’t helped as Sanderson skinned his marker and crossed low from the right wing. Kirby stepped back onto his right foot but his effort was headed away by Onariase.
The final action action saw Dieseruvwe head a Hendrie cross high and wide, and at the final whistle, the home fans were able to celebrate a remarkable victory over a former League side, and the expectation of a high scoring game delivered 7 goals. As Chris Kamara might have said, “Unbeliveable Jeff !”
Although Oxford City only went up one place in the league table, they extended their unbeaten run to five matches, and sat only three points from a play-off place. They had now scored 12 goals in their last three matches in the National League. Hartlepool remained in 4th place.
Highlights : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8mb8eqhDuQ
Oxford City : Haigh – Moore, Harrison, Carroll, Miccio – Ashby ( Wilson ), Fleet, Kirby, Coyle ( Williams-Bushell ) – Sanderson, Potter ( Fonkeu )
Hartlepool United : Jameson - Hendrie, Onariase, Ferguson, Paterson ( Hastie ) - Seaman, Crawford, Wallace ( Finney, Unerah ), Cooke - Dieseruvwe, Grey
A great report! Amazing times indeed for the City. One correction though: Grimsby bounced back to League Two after one season in the National League (2021/22) more recently than Cheltenham
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