Newport County 2-0 Hartlepool United: John Askey suffers first defeat as Pools drop back into the bottom two

It was Hartlepool’s worst performance under John Askey since his arrival in February as he fell to his first defeat in nine games.

Not since 2011 had Hartlepool game more than eight games in the EFL unbeaten and that never looked likely to be the case on a flat afternoon in South Wales.

Omar Bogle opened the scoring against his former club when hooking in through a crowded penalty area before Mickey Demetriou doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time.

Demetriou was the man who separated the two sides when they last met in February before Askey’s arrival but we saw nothing of the kind we have seen from Askey’s Hartlepool in recent weeks as they slipped back into the bottom two.

Askey was keen to ensure his side were not taking their focus off the here and now with that huge clash with Crawley Town on the horizon, the Pools boss insisting his side need to take points from their two games on the road in the days ahead of Crawley’s visit next weekend.

Askey had suggested his side hold an advantage over their relegation rivals in terms of their mentality, something which has been boosted due to that eight game unbeaten run since he arrived at the Suit Direct Stadium.

And after four points from six over the Easter weekend, a set of results which carried them out of the bottom two, Hartlepool certainly felt as though they had some of the wind in their sails for the long trip to South Wales to face a Newport side who were on the precipice of safety themselves.

The Exiles enjoyed, arguably, their performance of the season last time out at Rodney Parade when dispatching promotion chasing Northampton Town 3-0, inflicting the Cobblers’ only defeat in their last 10 games, inspired by former Hartlepool striker Bogle.

Bogle led the line for Graham Coughlan’s side against Pools but it was an interesting change from Askey as far as his side was concerned.

Despite making the long trip to Rodney Parade, Jamie Sterry was unavailable as the Hartlepool boss reverted to a back four from the off for the first time under his tenure.

The only change came with Arsenal loanee Taylor Foran dropping back to the bench in place of Mohamad Sylla, returning the starting line-up after Askey had declared to The Mail the situation regarding the Frenchman’s recent absence was now put to bed.

Sylla partnered Nicky Featherstone who enjoyed an excellent Easter weekend, scoring his first goal of the season.

It led to an interesting dynamic as Pools lined up in something of a 4-2-2-2 formation as they looked to maintain their advantage over Crawley.

But it was almost the worst possible start for Pools as they tried to play their way out from the back with Edon Pruti who gave possession away which saw a reverse ball find Bogle inside the area beyond Pruti but his curling effort was palmed away by Jakub Stolarczyk.

Hartlepool had another warning four minutes later when a cross from the right found its way to Will Evans, unmarked at the back post, who fired over the bar.

The change in formation was struggling in the early stages but, after escaping twice in the first 10 minutes, it was Hartlepool who ought to have took the lead.

Connor Jennings slid a nice ball into the path of Callum Cooke who had got the wrong side of Matt Baker in the area but the midfielder got caught between going for goal or finding Dan Kemp at the back post and in the end did neither.

That was as good as it got for Askey’s side in the first half as they were soon behind thanks to who else but Bogle.

Demetriou’s long throw had already caused one or two problems and did so again as it was flicked on at the near post, falling at Bogle with his back to goal in the penalty area, and he was able to hook through a crowd of bodies into the corner beyond a rooted Stolarczyk.

Newport created another overload down Hartlepool’s left as Bogle almost swept a second in minutes later with Stolarczyk again pushing away.

Stolarczyk made another good save within seconds as a cross from the left found Charlie McNeill at the back post who struck a volley with venom as Pools scrambled clear.

Things got worse for Askey as he lost centre-back Euan Murray to injury before McNeill curled narrowly over the bar after Cooke lost possession outside his own penalty area.

Newport did, however, find the second goal their first 45 minutes merited on the stroke of half-time as Demetriou was able to turn in at the second time of asking from inside the area.

Surprisingly, Askey refrained from making any changes at half-time but he was unable to gain the kind of reaction he would have wanted as Newport continued to be a threat from the wings with McNeill’s cross causing all kinds of problems.

Pools were able to fashion a chance of sorts when Jennings found space on the right to cross for Sylla who turned over the bar at the near post.

Again, though, it was about as good as it got for Hartlepool as Declan Drysdale might have added a third when lifting over from Aaron Lewis’ free kick.

Askey had seen enough from his side after the hour as he turned to his bench to bring on Wes McDonald and Oliver Finney but it was former Pools striker Bogle who should have put the seal on things when breaking clear of Pruti before smashing wide of Stolarczyk’s post.

Pools almost made things interesting in the final five minutes as Dodds raced clear in the area in search of Hamilton at the near post as Newport were able to clear through Cameron Norman before Finney was unable to turn in a header on the goalline in front of Joe Day.

Instead, however, Pools slumped to their first defeat since February and an untimely one at that as they fall back into the bottom two with just four games remaining.

Newport County XI: Day, Norman (Farquharson ‘88), Drysdale, Bogle, Lewis (Moriah-Welsh ‘81), Bennett, Baker, McNeill (Kavanagh ‘75), Wildig (Waite ‘81), Demetriou ©, Evans

Subs: Townsend, Bowen, Rai

Hartlepool United XI: Stolarczyk, Dodds, Murray (Foran ‘26), Pruti, Ferguson, Featherstone, Sylla (Crawford ‘75), Cooke (Finney ‘63), Kemp (McDonald ‘63), Umerah (Hamilton ‘75), Jennings

Subs: Killip, Crawford, Kiernan, Hamilton

Referee: Darren Handley

Attendance: 4,521 (269 Hartlepool)