Hartlepool United 2 Walsall 0: Tyler Burey and Nicky Featherstone with the goals to dispatch Saddlers

A wonderful solo-goal by Burey and a penalty from Featherstone was enough to secure Dave Challinor’s side three-points against Walsall at Victoria Park.

Hartlepool survived a few scares early on as Jack Earing first saw his shot go wide of the post and then his cross flash across goal past the despairing Brendan Kiernan.

The home side’s first real opportunity came through David Ferguson but he wasn’t able to control Jamie Sterry’s cross and the chance for Pools to open the scoring passed.

The first-quarter of the game was played mainly between the two penalty-boxes with neither goalkeeper being called into action.

However, that all changed in the 23rd minute when Burey notched his second-goal of the campaign – and what a goal it was.

The striker picked up the ball just inside the Walsall half and drove towards goal, shrugging off the challenge of Ash Taylor before curling a beautiful effort into the top-corner, capping off a superb solo-goal.

Walsall quickly reacted to going a goal-behind however, with Ben Killip needing to pull off a great save to tip Conor Wilkinson’s thumping header around the post.

The first-half concluded without Killip being tested and Pools held a deserved 1-0 lead at half-time.

The home-side came flying-out-the-blocks in the second-half but Walsall were able to survive a mad scramble in their box before Will Goodwin saw his glancing header go wide of the post.

Pools continued to pile on the pressure as a wonderful in-swinging cross found the head of Mark Shelton, but the midfielder couldn’t direct his header on target.

This pressure finally paid-off for the hosts when Gavan Holohan’s shot hit Taylor on the hand and referee Declan Bourne had no hesitations about pointing to the spot.

Captain Nicky Featherstone stepped-up and fired the penalty straight down the middle to double Hartlepool’s lead.

Taylor’s nightmare few minutes continued as his slack pass found Goodwin in acres of space but the young striker saw his effort saved smartly by Carl Rushworth.

Ferguson almost grabbed a third for Hartlepool but his drilled effort was blocked on the line by his own teammate Goodwin.

The Saddlers looked more threatening in the second-half but again, they rarely threatened Killip as Pools entered the last 15 minutes two goals to the good.

They could have extended this lead further when Goodwin slipped in Holohan, but he couldn’t get a shot away before Ferguson’s subsequent effort sailed high and wide.

The game should have finished 3-0 when Reagan Ogle, on as a sub for Will Goodwin, had the goal at his mercy but could only find the legs of Rushworth in the Walsall goal.

This victory made it 16 league wins at Victoria Park in 2021, leaving Pools with six points from their opening three games on their return to League Two.

Hartlepool United Team: Killip, Sterry, Byrne, Liddle, Francis-Angol, Ferguson, Shelton, Featherstone ©, Holohan, Burey (Molyneux 72’), Goodwin (Ogle 88’)

Substitutes: Mitchell, Cullen, Odusina, Smith, Daly, Ogle, Molyneux

Goals: Burey 23’, Featherstone 58’

Walsall Team: Rushworth, White, Ward ©,Taylor, (Monthe 63’), Kiernan, Kinsella, Wilkinson, Phillips, Earing, Perry (Osadebe 55’), Menayese

Substitutes: Rose, Monthe, Osadebe, Bates, Leak, Willis, Mills

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