League Two: Hartlepool United FC v. AFC Wimbledon
With Smith out, we'd worked on bringing the ball out of the back and how we'd transition from defense to offense. Obviously, we'd be counter attacking against Hartlepool.
View attachment 407292It's a three hour train ride to Middlesbrough where we boarded a bus for the ride to Victoria Park in Hartlepool.
Victoria is a small ground and they were projecting that it would be half full. While it was sunny, it wasn't warm and there was a strong wind that made it seem really, really cold.
I've been spoiled by Cadiz. I wore a scarf and parka.
My line-up shouldn't be surprising. I really wish Andy Frampton was available.
GK: Chris Dunn
D: Cameron Dummigan, Kris Thackray, Ben Harrison, James Fenlon
M: Steven Gregory (DM), George Francomb, Adam Pepper, Mark Tomlinson, Matteo Nole
F: James Loveridge
Subs: Daniel Lincoln (GK), Reuben Hazell (D), Daniel Barlaser (M), Simon Johnson (M), Harry Pell (M), Jack Midson (F), Jack Redshaw (F)
From the kickoff, we worked it down the left flank. Matteo mishit his cross and it went out for a goal kick, but, hey, at least he tried to cross the ball!
Once again we were punished early. Why is it that we can't defend properly early in matches?
In the 4th minute, they worked the ball down our left flank. Fenlon didn't do much to try and prevent their right winger Kieron Cadogan from crossing and to an unmarked Cedric Baseya. There were 5 Don defenders nearish to him but nobody was actually marking him. Who doesn't score from a free header from 3 yards out?
1-0
I just stood there gritting my teeth and let my Assistant Manager Sean Hankin yell at them.
In the 6th minute, Adam Pepper took a knee in the thigh. Whitney ran out, sprayed it and indicated he needed time to see if Peps could run it off. I told Barlaser to start warming up. We'd given him a half dozen heat packs to use through the match to keep his hamstring warm so I was hoping it wouldn't take him long to get loosened.
In the 7th minute it was obvious Peps just wasn't moving well. So In goes Danny Boy.
"May Sweet Mary Mother of God look after that fkn hamstring of yours," I said in Italian.
"What'd you say?" Daniel asked me.
"I just blessed you're hamstring," I said. "Now go out there and show them how to run a fkn midfield."
"Right, boss," Danile replied and jogged onto the pitch.
Not only was it really windy, Pool wingers dropped back to help out their fullbacks and the midfield was packed. We generated our first real chance in the 12th minute.
Barlaser, Dummigan and Francomb worked the ball down the right and Francomb eventually crossed in. They headed it clear, but right to Mark Tomlinson. He tried to volley it. It was a valiant effort. It was just a yard high of the crossbar.
Pool worked the ball into our half and Baseyas got himself one-on-one with Harrison. Ben couldn't stop him and neither could Dunn. Thankfully, his blast nicked the crossbar and went out for a goal kick.
"THACKS! THACKS!" I hollered. "YOU MARK BASEYA. BEN STAYS FREE. GOT IT?"
Thackray signaled he understood.
Despite Thacks best efforts, Baseya still created two good chances for himself. I guess he's just not that good with his feet. Probably why a guy as strong and athletic as him is in League Two. I dunno.
We created a couple of chances, but nothing all that threatening.
Just before halftime, Pool had the ball in our half and were knocking the ball around back and forth across the top of our penalty area. We'd parked the bus and they were seeking a way in.
They eventually worked it into Cadogan inside the box. He juked around Fenlon and hammered a shot for the far post. Dunn dove and parried it out to our right side. Dunn was up like a cat because he saw that their left winger Toni Silva was going to get to the ball first.
Silva shot but a flying Dunn blocked his shot out for a corner.
We'd survived the first half, but just barely.
"C'mon, guys," I said at halftime. "Show me something different out there."
"And to help, I'm switching to 442, Gregs your out, Redshaw, go warm up," I said.
Nothing much changed. Except that Hartlepool found it easier to keep the ball and keep it in our half.
We paid the price in the 55th minute. Both Baseya and center back John Egan got free at the near post. Egan flicked the ball past Dunn.
2-0
There wasn't much to do. Hartlepool outnumbered us in the midfield and we lacked our target man up front. Matteo Nole hadn't done much out there other than shiver, so I took him off and put Simon Johnson on.
In the 68th minute, Dunn bailed us out again. Cadogan got free and looked like he was ready to ice the game with a third goal. But Dunn blocked his shot out for a corner.
In the 71st minute, Francomb finally beat his defender and raced down the flank. He whipped a cross in, but Loveridge was a step late getting to it. Tomlinson ran down the clearance and played a pass into the box for Barlaser.
Danny Boy smashed a shot off the keeper and into the net from 15 yards.
2-1
Were we back in this match? Not without some luck.
Hartlepool stifled the midfield and we just couldn't keep the ball for long.
In the 72nd minute, Thackray plowed through Baseya. The ref blew for the foul and ran over.
"Please please please please please please," I muttered under my breathe. Thacks was at 4 yellow cards. I was probably getting Frampton back next week. I didn't want to have to make the choice between playing Haz or Ben next week.
The ref wagged his finger at Thacks and gave him his final warning.
I breathed a sigh of relief.
In the 75th minute, Thacks hit the side netting with a near post header from a corner. Wrong side of the post, though.
Then in the 86th, Simon Johnson got free and raced down the left flank.
'C'mon Simon, c'mon Simon," I muttered to myself. I had the feeling this might just be our last chance. Hartlepool were playing quite well.
He won the tackle that the Pool right back tried and raced into the box.
"Go Simon! Go Simon!" I said out loud.
View attachment 407259The right back tried a desperation tackler from behind and sent Simon sprawling. The ball continued to roll.
"PENALTY! PENALTY!" I bellowed. "HE DIDN'T TOUCH THE BALL! C'MON, REF!"
While I was hollering at the ref Redshaw pounced and shot.
Right at the goalkeeper.
The ref made the hand motion to indicate that the defender had in fact touched the ball.
"Blind as a fkn bat," I muttered to myself.
After applauding the frozen traveling supporters for their suffereing, I checked my iPhone to see how the other matches had turned out on my way into the away changing room.
Not good. We were down to third spot, but only a point behind the leaders Rochdale. Hartlepool were in second.
"Don't be too worried about this result," I said. "They put their chances away, we didn't. **** happens. We can get back on track against Dagenham and Redbridge next Saturday."
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