Magnifique Mancini and Hartlepool United's midfield dynamics: The key takeaways from Southend United success

John Askey’s side twice came from behind against Southend United as they continued their bright start to the National League campaign at Roots Hall.

Tom Crawford and Joe Grey each scored their first goal of the season to cancel out Jack Bridge and Gus Scott-Morriss’ goals for the Shrimpers before Charlie Seaman completed a terrific few days in blue and white with a second goal of the campaign to ensure Pools made the long trip back to the North East with all three points.

And here are some of the key takeaways from Hartlepool’s victory in Essex.

John Askey rues slow start by Hartlepool United

It wasn’t all quite sunshine and rainbows for Hartlepool in the blistering heat down by the Thames estuary as Askey’s side very quickly fell behind at Roots Hall.

For as positive as the mood was heading into the fixture at Southend, on the back of two straight wins on home soil, Hartlepool, for whatever reason, could not get going in the opening 10 minutes.

It was sluggish, to say the least. From the very first whistle Pools were a little too casual as Emmanuel Onariase and Joel Dixon almost allowed Callum Powell a sight of goal as the two hesitated over a ball forward.

Minutes later and Onariase again offered an incentive for Southend to press when keeping hold of possession for too long in defence with Wesley Fonguck given a glimpse at goal.

A long throw-in from the left caused further disruption in the defence as Noor Husin saw an effort blocked before the Shrimpers recycled possession to take the lead.

Hartlepool were unable to get out as the ball was played out wide to Powell who sent a cross to the back post where Harry Cardwell was on hand to head back across goal for Bridge to convert.

The hard work of the two previous home games felt undone in five minutes.

To their credit, Pools climbed back into the game and found a good equaliser with an excellent finish from Crawford as the two sides went in level at the break.

But, aside from an early Emmanuel Dieseruvwe chance, Askey’s side were again somewhat slow in starting the second half as they fell behind again when Scott-Morriss stooped to head home Powell’s teasing cross.

It was a bit of an anomaly for Pools to start as slow, given they have scored goals early in halves already this season, but it’s something Askey was concerned about heading into the game.

“We started really slowly, it was frustrating,” he told BBC Radio Tees after the game.

“You’re always fearful when you travel a long way that people aren’t going to be at it and maybe be a little bit lethargic and that was the case.

“We just didn’t get going at all from the first second.”

Despite a disappointing start to either half, Pools improved during both and were able to get up to the levels in which Askey is expecting of them with their fitness in games again showing through.

Magnifique Mancini

Don’t believe the hype? Maybe Hartlepool fans can start believing it with Anthony Mancini who produced a highly polished performance for Askey at Roots Hall.

Although the Frenchman did not register a goal or an assist to his name, the midfielder was influential in most of what Hartlepool did well, including an excellent role in their second goal of the afternoon as he assisted the assister, so to speak.

The 22-year-old scored his first goal for the club in the win over Maidenhead United and carried that form into the game at Southend with the ball on a string at times in possession, completing 89 per cent of his passes and 11 of 13 of his forward passes – his most so far this season.

Mancini was applauded off by the home fans when substituted in the closing stages as he continues to grow in confidence under Askey.

“I think when you see somebody who shows that ability throughout the game, if you come to watch a game of football, then you’ve got to appreciate that,” Askey said after the game.

“Anthony has been fantastic. It’s not only his ability on the ball, it’s his running as well. He runs himself into the ground and hopefully he can keep that going.”

As with Hartlepool’s situation overall, it remains early days for Mancini but, at present, he is already repaying the faith shown in him.

Hartlepool United’s midfield dynamic

Mancini’s impressive performance, which saw him named in the National League team of the week, brings with it an interesting debate when it comes to the dynamic of Hartlepool’s midfield.

Mancini, Crawford and Callum Cooke have been it so far this season with Kieran Wallace and Oliver Finney both out injured and Matt Dolan, perhaps, considered more as a centre-back option.

That has seen a mixture of performances in the four games to date.

Against Barnet you could see in the opening exchanges how the trio are keen to play in terms of getting their foot on the ball and trying to move it quickly through the lines.

Yet as Barnet were able to turn Hartlepool around, with a more back-to-front approach, it negated the impact they could make to the point where they, ultimately, lost the midfield battle.

Against Gateshead, Pools had to endure sustained periods without the ball but it did show us the trio are capable of digging in and grinding out a result, Crawford in particular gave a positive showing in that aspect before Cooke displayed his ability late on with an excellent run and assist for Dieseruvwe’s winner.

The win over Maidenhead represented what they are all about as all three excelled with Hartlepool totally dominating in midfield. They had the legs, energy, skill and confidence to play a huge role in the game – Mancini getting on the scoresheet in the process.

We saw elements of that again at Southend.

Having been swamped early in both halves, the midfield began to take control of things which was typified by the second goal with all three players involved.

After Onariase won possession back on halfway he gave the ball to Mancini who so cleverly took out two Southend players with the deftest of flicks into Crawford before moving to create a three-against-one scenario against Cavaghn Miley.

Crawford delayed the pass brilliantly to force Miley to commit to either Cooke or Mancini, with Miley swaying towards the Frenchman, allowing him to find Cooke in space in the No.10 position.

Cooke took one touch before rolling it into Mancini who was bypassing him at this stage and the 22-year-old then played another controlled first-time pass into Chris Wreh who then sent Grey in on goal to score.

It was a brilliant move which sliced through Southend at will and demonstrated how effective the midfield trio can be.

At home, in particular, you feel as though that will certainly be an asset. Away from home there may be times where Askey needs to call upon a more recognised holding midfielder, hence his initial keenness to bring in another this month.

But with Wallace returning for his debut, Askey now has that option to be able to change his midfield dynamic as and when he chooses – although it will be hard to disrupt the Crawford-Cooke-Mancini trio at present.