Pools crash out as chances go begging

AS A player at Hartlepool United, Mark Cooper wasn’t around among the happiest of times. As a manager at Victoria Park, however, he has enjoyed nothing but smiles.

Nine goals in 33 appearances in 1996-7 wasn’t a bad return, but it came in a poor Pools team during a season in which they scrapped for their Football League lives.

He won just six times at Victoria Park as part of the midfield.

But in two games as a gaffer at one of his former clubs, in charge of first Tamworth and now Kettering, he’s enjoyed two victories, knocking his former club out of the FA Cup on both occasions.

“I like my trips back up here,’’ admitted the 40-yearold, who was signed by Keith Houchen 13 years ago.

“I thought we were more of an attacking threat this time than we were with Tamworth four years ago. But I enjoyed every minute of it. Of course it’s tense, but I never really felt under real pressure. I was never really worried.

“I scored nine goals in my time here, so it wasn’t too bad.

I quite enjoyed my season at Hartlepool.

“But it’s a different club now, different personnel and things have changed. It’s still nice to come back and win, though.’’ The question of who he wanted in round two hadn’t even been completed on Saturday and his answer was out: Leeds United.

Cooper got his wish and while Leeds visit Rockingham Road on November 28, Pools have a free week.

Perhaps that time can be spent working closely with the strikers on the training ground, because for all their possession – 62 per cent – and chances – 17 shots – Pools were weak in front of goal.

That started after only 33 seconds, Denis Behan opting to sidefoot across goal from eight yards with his left foot when a right-foot belt would have surely put Pools ahead.

From then on it was mostly Pools on the attack, but central defenders Ian Roper and Exodus Geohaghon easily got the better of Behan and Adam Boyd.

Roper has faced Pools plenty of times for Walsall in recent years. He has the physique of a Sunday League player and Cooper said: “Ian Roper doesn’t look like a footballer does he?

“But he’s played plenty of games and he certainly knows how to defend.’’ Pools couldn’t get the better of the 13-stone, six-footer.

Behan was beaten to the ball too easily and too often, Boyd was unable to exert any influence, and Kettering joined Tamworth and Frickley Athletic in the list of non- League teams to win at Victoria Park in the last 25 years.

“We had more than our share of chances throughout.

I’m gutted we are out of the competition,’’ said Chris Turner.

“Kettering had four forays into our area in 90 minutes, we had endless. It’s all about finishing and we couldn’t do that. We had possession throughout, put balls over all day. Our game plan worked to a tee – goals aside.

“We dominated so much it was untrue. The reality is we didn’t score and lost.

“You can always say ‘if one of them goes in’ but it didn’t.

It’s about scoring and finishing, it just wasn’t there.’’ He added: “If the team was outfought, outplayed, out battled it’s a problem. Instead we did it to them. The only disappointing factor was finishing, the difference between a three or four one victory and a onegoal defeat.

“We had chances galore, they had something to hang on to and rode their luck at times. They got away with it, we didn’t.

“Looking at the game I couldn’t ask the lads to pass any better or be any sharper.

“We had many good situations, but it’s all about finishing and scoring.’’ The deciding goal came when a deep corner was nodded back into the penalty area unchecked and Moses Ashikodi touched it in.

For all their possession, Pools could have been two down by half-time, Scott Flinders making a important stop to deny Ashikodi on a breakaway.

Booed off at half-time, the frustration gave the terrace clowns plenty of ammunition.

Cooper, speaking from experience, last week said the home followers had a role to play and he was hoping his players would ensure the Victoria Park crowd turned on their own. It’s something Cooper was often on the end of during his time at the club.

“Confidence can be affected by a result like this and possibly one or two players will lose confidence from it,’’ reclected Turner.

“One shout from the stand said that he couldn’t wait for January to get some more players in – where has he been living?

“We have our squad of players, we believe in them and they are the 11th best at the moment in League One and we are hoping to improve on that with two thirds of the season left.

“It’s not about taking positives from it. Individuals have to learn from the mistakes which led to the goal.

“When you have a game plan and the team play that way on the ground and change play and create chances, you cannot ask for more.

“But it’s obvious where we fell short – inside the penalty box.

“It’s not down to what I say or supporters say, it’s down to the players out there to be cool in front of goal.

“It’s not because we were outfought or outplayed it’s about being clinical in the box.’’

Match facts

Goal: 0-1: Ashikodi (15, close range angled header after deep corner was headed into area)

Bookings: None

Referee: Mark Heywood (Leeds): Sailed through an incident-free encounter 8

Attendance: 2,645

Entertainment: ✰✰✰

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2):

7 Flinders: Key save on halftime kept Pools in the hunt score wise;

6 Austin: Can offer more going forward than he did – but not the only one on that front

7 Collins: Just like he has been all season, dominant and defended well

7 Liddle: Almost earned a replay in injury time with close range header

6 Hartley: Great first-half when he saw plenty of the ball, not too sharp in the second;

4 Monkhouse: More out of the game than in on the right side

4 Sweeney: Given a chance back in the starting XI and failed to take it

6 Humphreys: Busy as ever in making efforts to press Pools forward

8 LARKIN: No-one had more possession and more effect on the game for the opening 45 minutes;

3 Behan: Way off the pace, missed two good chances and was dominated too easily by the central defenders

4 Boyd: Slack performance, didn’t get the ball down and hurt opposition like he can Subs:

Greulich (for Behan 58): Gave his all as Pools chased the game 6 Jones (for Boyd 69); Tried to inject some spark into Pools in the closing stages 6 (not used): Cook (gk), Clark, Haslam, Fredriksen, Bjornsson.

KETTERING TOWN (4-4-2): Harper 7; Dempster 6, Roper 7 (Thomas 72), GEOHAGHON 8, Taylor 6; Eaden 7, Green 6, Noubissie 7, Heslop 6; Ashikodi 6 (Marna 86), Elding 7 (Spencer 74). Subs (not used): Wrack, Cooper (gk), Boucaud.

MAN OF THE MATCH

EXODUS Geohaghon – giant defender with the best name in the FA Cup gave one of the best performances.