Hartlepool United 0 Wycombe Wanderers 2: Match report, five match unbeaten home run over

Powerhouse striker Adebayo Akinfenwa slotted in the first in the 24th minute against a Pools side who had two first-half penalty appeals turned down by referee DaveWebb.

Pools barely got going and had one decent effort in the second half when Jamal Blackman saved from Scott Harrison's header.

Dave Jones was forced to make two changes to his winning XI.

Liam Donnelly, who took a knock in the win at Cambridge, and Rhys Oates, who came off just after the half-hour at the Abbey Stadium both missed out.

Nicky Deverdics, who finished last Saturday's defeat at Notts County at left-back, took over on the left of defence.

Lewis Hawkins came into midfield with Lewis Alessandra set to take a more advanced role.

Matthew Bates returned to the squad on the bench where he was joined by forward Devante Rodney.

Early play was hardly inspiring with Alessandra having the first two shots for Pools, cutting in from the left to drill in a grasscutter for the first which was blocked and then put the second over the bar after a

nice run

Sam Saunders went wide with a 25-yard free-kick for Wycombe.

Pools had their first shout for a penalty in the 22nd minute after Thomas hit deck in box after a rapid Pools counter-attack led by Alessandra.

Thomas was still complaining when Wycombe took a 24th minute lead.

Pools were opened up by a nice interchange between Akinfenwa and Southwell before AKINFENWA strolled into the area and stroked his shot past Joe Fryer.

The home side came straight back at the Chairboys and keeper Jamal Blackman flapped away a Thomas cross after some nice flair from the forward.

Thomas then went over the bar with right footer from 20 yards before Pools won a corner after some nice play.

And when Walker headed the bakll into the six-yard box, there appeared to be a handball, but Mr Webb rejected the appeals.

Six minutes from the interval, Walker fired wide of the keeper's right stick from 35 yards.

Half-time:

Pools 0

Wycombe 1

Pools started the second half with some nice football with Walker, Thomas and Alessandra to the fore.

Alessandra tried to create space for a shot with his right boot but instead got it on his left but his effort bobbled just wide.

There was danger in the 53rd minute when Fryer had to get down well to save Southwell's header from Michael Harriman's cross.

The next two efforts also came from the Chairboys, O'Nien flashing a 56th-minute drive just wide and Fryer tipping over Southwell's shot from range over 10 minutes later.

There was a great chance for Pools in the 68th minute when they briefly had a 2v1 situation.

But when Alessandra tries to find Amond in the box, the supporting Woods seemed to hinder the top scorer and the chance was lost.

All the shots appeared to be coming from Wanderers and it required an acrobatic Fryer save from Saunders 19 minutes from time.

Pools had their first shot on target soon after when Blackman saved from Harrison's header from Alessandra's corner.

And from resulting corner Walker header lands on roof of away net

However, Pools were final sunk in the final minute when COWAN-HALL got the better of Deverdics before finishing smartly,

It wasn't the end of the activity with Cowan-Hall shown the red card after picking up his second booking after a confrontation with Harrison who was yellow-carded.

FULL-TIME

HARTLEPOOL UNITED 0

WYCOMBE 2