Hartlepool United retain unwanted 30-year record after Cheltenham Town score at last against Derby County

Hartlepool United’s 30-year wait to lose an unwanted footballing record continues.
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Pools still share the longest run of Football League matches without finding the net after 11 goalless games in 1993.

League One Cheltenham Town had the unenviable chance of surpassing that run on Saturday when they faced Derby County at home.

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But Rob Street’s opener in their 1-1 draw means that both Cheltenham and Pools remain in the record books alongside Coventry City.

Cheltenham Town's Rob Street celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game - and their first in the Football League this term - in the 1-1 draw with Derby County.Cheltenham Town's Rob Street celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game - and their first in the Football League this term - in the 1-1 draw with Derby County.
Cheltenham Town's Rob Street celebrates scoring his side's first goal of the game - and their first in the Football League this term - in the 1-1 draw with Derby County.

As to which of the three clubs can maybe claim to have the worst record in their 11 games, the small print is murky.

Coventry are certainly out of the equation as they conceded the least number of goals – 13 compared to Hartlepool’s 15 and Cheltenham’s 19 – plus their Division Two record in 1919 was not extended by cup matches.

Indeed, Pools actually went 13 games without scoring after losing 1-0 to both Sheffield United in the FA Cup and Stockport County in the Autoglass Trophy, which is now known as the Papa John’s Trophy.

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Cheltenham, now managed by former Hartlepool midfielder Darrell Clarke, also played 13 matches this season before their Derby draw.

Hartlepool United striker Andy Saville steps up to score the only goal in the club's January 1993 FA Cup victory over Premier League Crystal Palace.Hartlepool United striker Andy Saville steps up to score the only goal in the club's January 1993 FA Cup victory over Premier League Crystal Palace.
Hartlepool United striker Andy Saville steps up to score the only goal in the club's January 1993 FA Cup victory over Premier League Crystal Palace.

But a 2-0 defeat in the Carabao Cup by Birmingham City was followed by a 4-1 trouncing by Bristol Rovers in the Papa John’s Trophy.

Their scorer that night? Rovers defender James Gibbons with an own goal.

Back to Pools, striker Andy Saville’s equaliser at Blackpool on March 6, 1993, even appeared on the BBC1 national news.

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He was also the scorer of Pools’s previous goal before their footballing famine commenced when his late penalty famously gave Alan Murray’s third tier side a 1-0 victory over Premier League Crystal Palace in the third round of the FA Cup on January 2.

Prior to that their last goal in Division Two – today’s League One – came in a 3-1 win at Fulham on December 28, 1992.

Murray had been dismissed by the time Saville scored at Blackpool after Pools hurtled towards relegation.

But they still managed to stay up under Viv Busby after winning three of their last four games.