Sheffield Wednesday 0-3 Hartlepool United: Key talking points from Pools' emphatic win at Hillsborough in the Papa John's Trophy

A trip to Hillsborough was perhaps the last thing Pools needed following a fifth straight defeat in League Two, but Antony Sweeney’s much changed side showed their mettle and came away with a remarkable result.

Mark Shelton opened the scoring when he headed in Eddy Jones’ cross from the left before Jaden Brown put through his own net to double Pools’ lead.

And the night was capped off when Will Goodwin powered home from close range to send Pools into the third round of the competition.

And here are the main talking points of the evening.

Setting the scene

It almost became an after thought that Pools had a game of football to contest on Wednesday night given what had gone on at the Suit Direct Stadium throughout the course of the day.

Graeme Lee’s appointment, naturally, was the big talking point of the day alongside assistant manager Michael Nelson as Pools get set to begin their new era following Dave Challinor’s exit.

A trip to Hillsborough represented a difficult task, irrespective of what had gone on behind the scenes, but it also gave interim boss Sweeney the opportunity to end his caretaker run with another landmark win having knocked League One Wycombe Wanderers out of the FA Cup recently.

Sweeney may not have secured as many points as he would have liked over the course of the last month but he has certainly maintained a level of stability at the club during an uncertain period.

Important news for both Pools and Sweeney came when Lee addressed supporters and expressed his gratitude to Sweeney for the job he has done as well as ensuring them the 38-year-old will remain a key figure around the club and on the training ground.

Team News

Sweeney had suggested following Saturday’s defeat at Port Vale there would be changes for the trip to Hillsborough should he still be in charge, and changes there were. Eight in total.

Luke Hendrie, Jones and Tom Crawford were the only players to remain in the Pools starting XI following that defeat in the Potteries as Sweeney also reverted back to five in defence.

Jamie Sterry made his return at full-back with his suspension lifted for the Papa John’s Trophy after his recent red card in the defeat to Forest Green Rovers.

Hendrie moved into the central role in defence with Timi Odusina and Zaine Francis-Angol alongside him.

Jones continued at left wing-back while Shelton and Martin Smith returned to the Pools midfield alongside Crawford.

Joe Grey was handed his first start since Sweeney’s first game in charge, a 1-0 win over Everton U21’s in this competition, with Goodwin partnering him in attack.

New manager bounce?

And immediately Pools looked more well-suited to the change in system. Whether the players had been given a new found belief from the introduction to the new manager and his assistant at the team hotel prior to the game is open for debate but Pools certainly began with a spring in their step.

Both Jones and Sterry were threatening down the flanks as the midfield trio of Crawford, Shelton and Smith hassled the Owls into a number of misplaced passes.

And it was a misplaced pass which led to the opening goal as Callum Paterson sent the ball into touch for a corner with a wayward attempt to find his goalkeeper.

Jones’ delivery was half cleared before the ball was recycled back to the Stoke City man who whipped an inviting cross towards the back post where Shelton was on hand to nod down from a tight angle and into the back of the net.

The lead was soon doubled as a high press from Goodwin and Sterry forced Brown to look back towards his keeper, but the two were out of sync as Brown’s pass bypassed Joe Wildsmith and trickled into an empty net.

But while the second goal was fortunate, Pools were worthy of their lead and might have added to it through Grey who picked up an error from Paterson, forced by Goodwin, to bring a good save from Wildsmith.

Moments before the break and Paterson was troubled again, this time by Grey who picked out Sterry on the right and his cross fell perfectly for Smith from six yards but he cushioned his volley wide.

Darren Moore made a triple substitution at the break to show just what he made of the Owls’ first 45 minutes but the changes failed to have their desired impact as for all the possession Wednesday had in the second half they rarely threatened Jonathan Mitchell in the Pools goal.

Instead it was Pools who killed the game when Jones’ corner was met by Shelton and his header landed at the feet of Goodwin who slotted home from close range as the Wednesday players stood and watched.

Lee and Nelson may not have been in the dugout, but they certainly saw an increased level of performance from players who haven’t featured as often as they would have liked to this season, firmly putting themselves in the frame for a start in Saturday’s FA Cup tie at Lincoln.

Sweeney send off

It was fitting for Pools to give Sweeney such an uplifting result in his final game as interim boss.

Sweeney has a strong bond with players, staff and supporters and has held the fort down well since Challinor’s exit.

At the full-time whistle Sweeney was serenaded by the travelling Poolies who chanted ‘Sweeney, Sweeney, Sweeney,” from the Leppings Lane end of Hillsborough.

It’s been a tough month for Sweeney who has seen his responsibilities increase tenfold. But he will be able to sit back and analyse a job pretty well done, particularly here at Hillsborough.

Hartlepool United XI: Mitchell, Sterry, Hendrie, Odusina, Francis-Angol (Byrne ‘84), Jones, Smith, Crawford, Shelton, Grey (Olomola ‘80), Goodwin (Fondop ‘84)

Subs: Killip, Ogle, Ferguson, Holohan

Sheffield Wednesday XI: Wildsmith, Paterson, Brennan (Adedoyin ‘84), Brown, Corbeanu, Wing (Agbontohoma ‘69), Dele-Bashiru, Byers (Bannan ‘45), Shodipo (Hunt ‘45), Berahino, Sow (Windass ‘45)

Subs: Render, Waldock

Attendance: 5,109

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