Pompey viser solid klasse og vinder.
AV: Steen Houman
Det blev den sejr de fleste fans håbede på, for formstærke Stevenage der ligger 6 point efter Pompey på 4.pladsen, ja dem vil fansene gerne holde afstand til.
Inden kampen vidste fansene at der i hvert fald ville komme en ændring oppe foran i angrebet da Eoin Doyle var skadet.
Til manges overraskelse, ja så blev det ikke Conor Chaplin der fik chancen oppe i front, men Noel Hunt, og i Carl Bakers fravær på midtbanen fik Jamal Lowe chancen sammen med Naismith og Bennet.
I forsvaret var Burgess tilbage efter sin karantæne.
Mange fans må have stillet sig selv spørgsmålet hvad sker der med Chaplin?
Pompey lagde fint ud i en særdeles livlig start på første halvleg, og Kal Naismith der er stærkt spillende for tiden var første til at søge første scoring, mens Nathan Thomas havde en header forbi Forde i Pompey målet. Forde fik endnu et clean sheet og må være tæt på rekord i klubben for antal clean sheets.
Enda Stevens var spilleren der satte Naismith op efter 17 min af kampen, med målet er Naismith ligeså topscorer, hvem havde set det komme, da Naismith i august måned faktisk blev sat på transferlisten af Paul Cook!
Efter målet faldt den livlige aktivitet, men at Hartlepool er bundhold i League Two var svært at se, de spillede fint lød meldingerne.
Kort inden pausen måtte vores enlige angriber Hunt så udgå med en skulderskade, og til stor overraskelse for fansene, ja så blev det Gary Roberts der kom ind og ikke Chaplin.
I stedet blev det Naismith der blev rykket op som angriber.
Efter pausen, var der nok en del fans der havde opmærksomheden rettet mod denne kombinantion, for ingen tvivl om at the local boy Chaplin er populær blandt fansene.
Men det fungerede overraskende godt med denne opstilling, og Roberts, ja han krydrede dagen med scoringen til 2-0 og kunne kort inden have scoret.
Inden 2-0 målet der lukkede kampen, der havde Pompey lige smagt forskrækkelsen, da Hartlepool drønede en bold på stolpen, om end Pompey viste skarphed og var på omstillingen tæt på at skabe en stor chance.
Det blev mønsteret i resten af kampen, Pompey lurede på omstillinger men til sidst løb tiden ud og Pompey vandt 2-0, og skal det med at Chaplin kom på banen efter 80 min, trods alt.
Hartlepool manager Dave Jones
“We started well but caused our own downfall by doing stupid things that we’ve been trying to eradicate from our play,”
“For spells of the game I thought we matched them and with perhaps a bit more belief and bit more quality around the place then we could have got something.
“We could have gone 1-0 up if we picked the right pass and the right weight, then we could get back to 1-1 when we hit the post so we’ve had our opportunities.
“It was two good sides out there today but they had that cutting edge that we don’t have at the moment but it’s something we’re trying to get.
“The players are working hard but sometimes when things don’t go your way or you’re not having the best of games the old traits fall in and we’re trying to stop that.
“Maybe one or two of the players have got carried away with performances in the past so want to do something different – that’s all the things we’re trying to change but it takes time.”
Kommentarer fra The News
Excellent win and well done to all, we are getting closer. With the injures (Doyle, Hunt, Baker) I suspect its time for Mr Chaplin to step up and lead the line to the finish PUPPPU
Well done to the lads today… Job done and well worth the trip… What a difference a few weeks make… The big difference is that the three «attacking» midfielders are now attacking and the holding two are crossing the half-way line… There must be no let up in the charge to League 1 as we can now smell promotion… Good luck to Hunt for a speedy recovery….
Was at the game today. Nice and local for me as I live in Northumberland. This was a good win as Hartlepool are a decent team. Naismith, Clarke and Burgess for me were the stand outs but Roberts did fine when he came on. We finally look the business and today’s win was a job well done. To all the Cook outers those there today sang his name and gave him full backing. Just wish we could shake off Stevenage once and for all but overall it’s all rosy.
Made the trip up today only 2hrs each way for me. We look like a team full of confidence at the moment, solid at the back and moving the ball around quickly and more importantly forwards. Can’t remember Forde having to make a save of any significance albeit the one that hit our post was in if it was 6″ the other way. Sat with some locals today, great bunch were full of praise for Pompey but not fans of Dave Jones. Next stop Mansfield for me hopefully with a further 6 points in the bag before then and maybe just maybe other results permitting a celebration. PUP
League Two, Victoria Park, 1/4-2017
Hartlepool – Portsmouth 0-2 (0-1)
17 min 0-1 Kal Naismith
60 min 0-2 Gary Roberts
Pompey: Forde; Evans, Burgess, Clarke, Stevens; Rose, M.Doyle; Lowe (Chaplin 80), Naismith (Kabamba 90), Bennett; Hunt (Roberts 45+5).
Bænken: O’Brien, Talbot, Whatmough, Linganzi, Chaplin, Kabamba, Roberts
Gult kort: Rose
Tilskuere: 4,500 (977 Pompey fans)