Hartlepool United 1-1 Sutton United: The key talking points as Pools extend unbeaten run with home draw
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Tom Crawford scored his first goal of the season to cancel out Joe Kizzi’s early header with neither team able to find a winner as Graeme Lee’s side extended their unbeaten run to seven games.
And here are some of the key talking points from Pools’ home draw.
Setting the scene
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Hide AdWhile Storm Eunice continued to batter the country, Pools had the wind in their own sails with Lee’s men gunning for a fourth straight win in League Two.
With fears of slipping into a relegation battle allayed, Pools fans have quietly been able to look up in the table over the last few days with victory over Sutton potentially sending them into the top half.
Team News
Despite there being a hint from Lee there would be changes, there was still a surprise when the teamsheet landed.
There were three changes in total but in a blow to Pools, both fullbacks, Jamie Sterry and David Ferguson, were absent.
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Hide AdSterry picked up a knock in training on Friday while Ferguson was hit with illness late in the week. In their place came Reagan Ogle and Zaine Francis-Angol.
In attack, as anticipated, Joe Grey missed out having taken a knock in the midweek win over Tranmere Rovers.
Lee had been hopeful Grey could force his way into contention but the news from the training ground was not enough to satisfy the needs for the teenager to be involved.
On the bench, Gavan Holohan returned after missing out in midweek while Jake Hull also returned to the matchday squad.
A soft goal
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Hide AdAlthough the momentum was with Lee’s side heading into the game on the back of three straight wins, it was Sutton who raced into an early lead.
The U’s have proved to be a thorn in the side of Pools in recent years and threatened to do so again here as Kizzi arrived unchallenged to nod home Robert Milsom’s in-swinging corner.
It was a soft goal to concede from Lee’s side and contributed to what was a flat opening 45 minutes from Pools who were short of the levels shown in recent weeks but for an instinctive effort from Luke Molyneux which clipped the outside of the post.
Half-time dressing down
There can be no denying Pools were off the pace in the first half.
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Hide AdLee admitted he couldn’t wait to get his side in at the interval and give them a dressing down.
“I was very disappointed with the way we started the game and the first half performance,” said Lee.
“I felt as though we were second best all over the pitch and we didn’t stop their threats.”
But whatever Lee, and assistant manager Michael Nelson, said to the Pools players at half time once again ignited a reaction.
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Hide AdAnd while Pools still weren’t at their fluent best, there was an improvement as they looked to force the issue and push for an equaliser.
Tom Crawford
And they didn’t have to wait long for that equaliser as midfielder Crawford grabbed his first goal of the season.
Speaking after another impressive performance in midweek over Tranmere, Crawford hinted at his desire to contribute more in the final third in terms of goals and assists but even he wouldn’t have imagined his prayers to be answered so swiftly.
But Crawford got his wish when Francis-Angol’s cross fell at the midfielder’s feet little over six yards from goal where he was able to coolly lift the ball over Dean Bouzanis into the roof of the net.
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Hide AdIt’s no less than Crawford has deserved in recent weeks with his performances going from strength-to-strength in the Pools midfield.
In an area of the field which perhaps offers the most competition for places, Crawford is there on merit and the hope now is this goal will lead to further confidence in the final third.
Fullback cover
With Ferguson and Sterry both missing, the onus was very much on Francis-Angol and Ogle to fill two sizeable voids.
And while Ogle has been in and around the Pools squad in recent months, Francis-Angol was earning his first league appearance since November.
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Hide AdThe 28-year-old showed signs of ring-rust in the opening stages as he missed an interception which would eventually lead to the corner in which Sutton took the lead while a miscommunication with Nicky Featherstone almost presented Donovan Wilson an opportunity to extend that lead.
But to his credit, Francis-Angol improved as the game wore on with the defender turning provider in the second half when picking out Crawford six minutes into the second half.
Although it may have been a shaky start, both Ogle and Francis-Angol adapted to proceedings to present Lee some comfort should he be without his two first choice fullbacks for Tuesday’s trip to Colchester United.
Into the top half
In the end it was a good point for Pools.
With the amount of games they have played in recent weeks there has to be a level of realisation that Lee’s side won’t be able to win them all, nor will they be able to produce a continuous high-level of performance.
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Hide AdSo for Pools to be able to grind out a result on what can be perceived as an off day can only be a positive.
There’s a saying in football which suggests ‘if you can’t win, then make sure you don’t lose’ and Pools battled to ensure that and maintain their unbeaten run.
And it was a result which should also boost the confidence among the squad when they look at the League Two table and realise they have now crept into the top half.
Just over a month ago Pools looked like they may have to tread carefully to ensure they wouldn’t slip into a potential relegation battle but their impressive form in recent weeks has them now able to feel optimistic about the remaining 15 games of the season.