Should Hartlepool United have postponed their fixture with Bromley? Key takeaways from latest home defeat

It was always going to be a sterner examination for John Askey’s side than what we saw in away games against York City and Kidderminster, but this was another bleak afternoon on home soil.

It took just five minutes for Michael Cheek to breach an inexperienced Hartlepool defence when he fired in unchallenged from 12-yards before he would double the visitors’ lead just before half-time with a similar finish after pouncing on a loose ball inside the area after Pools failed to clear their lines from a corner.

Hartlepool might have been dealt a lifeline at the break due to a faulty floodlight at Victoria Park before a decision was made to allow the game to continue.

For 10 minutes that decision might have been an inspired one as Emmanuel Dieseruvwe gave Hartlepool hope when heading in his 13th goal of the season early in the second half before Pools were undone by a hopeful ball forward which would eventually land at the feet of Ben Krauhaus who swept home well on the edge of the area.

It was like a balloon deflating inside the stadium before a late rally from Askey’s side threatened an unlikely comeback, only for the Ravens to add a little bit of gloss to the scoreline when Olufela Olomola raced clear from inside his own half to add a late fourth and quickly arrest any hopes of a change in momentum in Hartlepool’s season.

Here, The Mail looks at some of the key talking points from another home defeat for Hartlepool:

Inexperience tells…inside five minutes

Hartlepool knew what was coming against Bromley and yet they were unable to adapt.

Speaking after their 1-1 draw with Kidderminster in the week, where Hartlepool, again, fell victim to a set piece, Askey was already issuing the warning to his players about the direct threat Bromley posed.

“Bromley are a big strong team and they are strong on set pieces,” said Askey.

“It should be a good test. We’ve been improving the last couple of games, so we’ll see against a stronger opposition how much we’ve improved.”

Askey could not foresee the absence of Emmanuel Onariase, who was withdrawn due to illness late on Saturday morning, but, ultimately, Pools failed to deal with those threats.

In Onariase’s place came Kieran Burton for just a second start as the 20-year-old joined teenager Zak Johnson in a back three. The duo had just 10 National League starts between them which meant the emphasis was on Joe Mattock to offer his expertise in guiding them through a tricky afternoon against one of the league’s most streetwise forwards in Cheek.

From the off, Andy Woodman’s team pinpointed Hartlepool’s two young centre-backs as they launched balls in their general direction to see how they could deal with the early physical aspect of the game.

And it took just five minutes for them to wilt when Johnson mistimed a header which allowed Corey Whitely in on goal in a move which was eventually recycled wide to Bes Topalloj who crossed for an unmarked Cheek to control and fire home from no more than 12-yards.

Cheek’s work wasn’t done, however, as he bookended the first half with his second of the game in a similar fashion when peeling off the pack from a corner in anticipation of a loose ball – a loose ball which would fall his way from little more than six-yards as he again powered home to give Pools what Askey described as ‘a mountain to climb’ at half-time.

“We know that he’s been one of the best strikers in this league for a long time. How you can let him get away from you I just don’t understand, I really don’t understand,” said Askey.

“When you’ve been told to pick a man up, why can’t you stay with him? Sometimes you’ll get challenged, I can understand that, but why you should be four or five yards off somebody who you know is a goalscorer I don’t understand.

“It puts you under huge pressure when you concede the goals that we concede. I repeat myself every week and the same things keep happening and the same things keep happening because the same people keep making the same mistakes.”

Should Hartlepool have postponed the game at half-time?

It’s not a question you can often ask but it’s one which legitimately presented itself to Askey at the interval.

With Hartlepool 2-0 down they were almost handed a reprieve when one of the floodlights at Victoria Park failed as one quarter of the pitch towards the Town End fell into increasing darkness. Referee Steven Copeland issued a delay to the start of the second half, with the game, at that point, in jeopardy despite Bromley’s lead.

But after conferring with both managers, the game went ahead with Askey refusing the option to potentially postpone things until the floodlight could be repaired – an act which earned to respect of Ravens boss Woodman who suggested Askey showed ‘a real touch of class.’ For Askey, though, the thought of calling the game off was not an option.

“The floodlight was out and it was dark in that corner, the referee was asking if we should carry on but I couldn’t see any reason why we couldn’t carry on,” explained Askey.

“I know we were two down, and it would have been quite easy to delay it until the light gets sorted, but you can’t look for excuses. The game was 2-0 to them and you’ve got to have some standards, so we carried on and I don’t think it affected the game.”

Hartlepool’s ponderous home form

It was one of the strengths to Askey’s early success with Hartlepool but it’s now a growing concern.

After his arrival in February, Askey lost just one of his seven League Two games at Victoria Park – a run which extended to just one defeat in 11 following the opening month of this season. And yet since their 2-1 win over Wealdstone at the beginning of September, Pools have won just one of eight home games in all competitions, with this defeat to Bromley their sixth defeat in 12 on home soil this campaign.

Askey and midfielders Callum Cooke and Kieran Wallace each alluded to being more suited to playing away from home following the win over York, but it’s something which Pools desperately need to address if they are to muster up a genuine challenge for a play-off spot.

“I think the supporters are very good [at home],” said Askey.

“We’ve got to recognise that when you’re at home we’ve got to be a little bit more direct to put teams under a bit more pressure, but without just lumping it. We did that quite well in the second half. We got into good positions but we can’t defend. The record must be two goals a game, so no team can do that.”