Oxford go top as Pools fail to fire up front

Bouncing after back-to-back wins at Victoria Park, Hartlepool seemed to have a spring in their step this afternoon. It was either that or a desperate attempt to keep warm on an unforgivingly grim day in the North East.

Wins against Cheltenham Town and Leyton Orient had relinquished any stigma that Pools were incapable in front of their home faithful and the memory of eight winless games in all competitions at The Vic had since withered away, making space for a more optimistic outlook.

Hartlepool should have been the fresher of the two teams, having had their game at Accrington postponed on Tuesday due to a waterlogged pitch. Oxford United meanwhile, today’s visitors, struggled to contain a Newport County side at home who are sitting below Hartlepool in League Two.

Oxford have had a busy yet fruitful campaign thus far. Sitting second in the table, the U’s are one of the favourites for promotion and are still involved in the FA Cup and Johnstone’s Paint Trophy as December festively looms.

In recent weeks however, clashes with relegation-threatened Dagenham & Redbridge and newly-replenished Newport have proved far from straightforward for United, the yellows picking up 4 points with just two goals. Their previous outing before these was against non-league Braintree, after the minnows took them to an FA cup replay.

Perhaps it was this that had Pools expecting more than the table suggested, or perhaps it was the fact that Hartlepool defeated the U’s last time they met at the Kassam Stadium back in March.

Mikael Mandron, the Sunderland AFC loanee, retained his place for his third start in as many games. Having been awarded Man of the Match on his debut, the Black Cat was substituted during a disappointing loss to Mansfield Town last time out and would be looking to impress the home fans again. Rhys Oates also returned to the starting lineup, whilst former York City man Michael Duckworth got his first start since recovering from injury.

Strikers Scott Fenwick and Rakish Bingham were left on the bench, meaning Ronnie Moore had gone for a new formation. A 4-1-4-1, with Mandron leading the line alone.

The game was a tight affair with individual battles aplenty in the midfield, but Hartlepool appeared the more penetrative against the opposition’s back four.

From the opening minute, a drilled drive from Pools midfielder Nicky Featherstone whistled past the top corner, shortly followed by a looping header from unmarked captain Carl Magnay that the U’s keeper was mightily relieved to see trickle past the wrong side of the post.

Just before the half hour mark, Hartlepool were unlucky not to take the lead. A Naismith free kick down the left wing was punched away by Oxford keeper Benjamin Buchel to Jake Gray on the edge of the area. The Crystal Palace man expertly controlled the ball in the air with his back to goal, before turning and driving a looping volley that rattled back off the crossbar.

With loanees Naismith and Gray dictating the midfield, it was Middlesbrough’s U21 starlet Adam Jackson’s turn to come close. Just before half time, a corner from Naismith fell to the young defender whose controlled volley was unlucky not to find the bottom corner.

Hartlepool were edging it but had nothing to show for it.

The second half started as the first had ended, becoming ever-increasingly physical as frustration crept into both sides.

It took until the 57th minute for a clear-cut chance to fall, and it was to the feet of that man Mandron. After a clever one-two with Gray, the Sunderland striker was through on goal with his skipper on the overlap.

Desperate to break his duck for Pools, he decided to go alone, his right footed strike just inside the area hitting the oncoming keeper. A simple drop of the shoulder either way should have floored the keeper and left an empty net, but the young striker showed his age and inexperience through his indecision. Something his manager spoke about after the game.

Oxford were creeping back into it and after the hour mark, striker Pat Hoban came close. Turning cleverly inside the box, the talisman lost his marker and struck across goal. Just wide.

Minutes later, Oxford came close again, forcing a double save from keeper Trevor Carson. A free kick from 25 yards out was drilled at goal and spilt by Carson as it swerved towards him. Hogan got to the loose ball first but the Northern Irishman smartly got his body in the way.

Right on the 70 minute mark, Oxford’s pressure and persistence paid off. Alex MacDonald tore down the right wing before whipping an inch-perfect pass into the path of substitute Danny Hylton. The striker strolled onto the pass and side-footed a beautiful volley into the opposite bottom corner, before antagonising the home support by clasping his hands around his ears in celebration.

With time against them, Moore changed to Pools’ more familiar 4-4-2 formation, striker Bingham replacing Oates, and winger Kudus Oyenuga also coming into the fray in place of playmaker Gray.

The effect was instant, Oyenuga passing inside to Mandron, who expertly held the ball up (as he had done all afternoon) for substitute Brad Walker whose shot narrowly looped over the bar.

Oxford again replied, Liam Sercombe breaking away down the right before demanding a world class save from Carson in the Pools goal who diverted the ball just wide when it looked destined to double Oxford’s lead.

End to end stuff at The Vic.

Hylton came close again but was adjudged offside for Oxford, whilst Bingham blasted over for Pools. Another scramble in the box ensued and Oyenuga this time erratically clearing the bar, Moore’s utter disgust on the sideline clear for all to see. It didn’t appear to be the Pools’ day.

Boos unfairly rang out at full time from quarters of the crowd. Hartlepool had returned to their losing ways, but the manner of defeat was entirely different. An energetic midfield had dominated at times and the result was far from a fair reflection of what had been an entertaining contest. The only difference, illustrated in the league table, was that the visitors were clinical. Hartlepool meanwhile, and Mandron in particular, were not.

Oxford go to the summit of the league whilst Hartlepool drop to twentieth.