If you register for free, you will be able to post threads, vote on polls and lots more. If you have problems with the registration or logging in, please contact the administrator.
With the only thing on his mind being survival, Rob was convinced that his squad was strong enough. Having spent £1,800,000 over the summer and brought in nothing, the finances weren't the best, and with a rather large wage bill they would only get worse. So it wasn't only his reputation which needed the club to stay up. Life in Division One began with a trip to one of the promotion favourites, Ipswich. The game was a tight affair, one which neither side deserved to lose, but a 75th minute Stephen Lovell goal ensured that Hartlepool walked away with the points. Followed up with wins over Cardiff (4-2) and Gillingham (2-1) and, after three games, 'Pool were sitting at the very top of the first division table.
THey had, in that time, also found their way through to the second round of the league cup with a win over third division Cheltenham, but suffered the taste of defeat for the first time when Derby visited Victoria Park and left with a 2-1 victory. The better than expected form continued with wins over Tranmere (2-0) and Sheffield United (4-2) inbetween which was a poor showing in the 3-1 defeat at Leicester. And another trip to Leicester was needed in the second round of the League Cup, and this time it went even worse as the home side won out by 4-1. A draw with Wolves (2-2) and another with Millwall (3-3) either side of a home defeat to Watford meant that Hartlepool ended September on a run of four games without a win, and unless they picked things up soon, the good work done in the first month and a half of the season looked like being undone.
Putting an overall good start to the season behind them, Hartlepool still had a lot of work to do if survival was to be guaranteed. Without a win in four, they travelled to Stoke and made the record without a win in five as they let a 2-0 lead slip and came away with only a point. That run was ended with a 4-2 beating of Barnsley at Victoria Park, but a defeat to Nottingham Forest and a draw with Reading made sure that they knew that they still had a long way to go.
However, a run of good form hit just at the right time as Rob carried his charges to four consecutive wins before they finally fell to Wigan. The first of those wins was an edgy 1-0 success at Norwich before a thumping 5-2 victory over Preston. Bristol City then fell victim to Dean Ashton as he netted his second conseutive double in the 4-0 thrashing, and it was Stephen Lovell who was the hero in the 4-1 win over Stockport.
The defeat at Wigan was followed by an incredible 4-4 draw against QPR in which eight different players found their way onto the scoresheet, and then 'Pool fought back from 2-0 down at halftime to rescue a 2-2 draw at Bradford. Gillingham were next to fall to Watson's men as they came out of Victoria Park having been thumped 4-1, and wins against Sunderland (2-1) and POrtsmouth (2-0) temporarily moved his side up to second place in the table. Defeats against Cardiff and Tranmere closed out the year, however, a year which had been quite spectacular for Hartlepool
Derby - 9th in Division One (manager George Burley survived a vote of confidence at beginning of October)
Leeds - 19th in Premiership (Rob passed over for job when Kevin Blackwell was sacked at beginning of December. Neale Cooper appointed)
01-19-2005, 03:58 AM
The only thing that would make a Scouser head for the City Ground (BCC) Post #23
you were so very very nearly right, stuart and cheers, everyone. hopefully i'll get one of the jobs soon
----------------------
1st January - 17th April 2004
Little did Rob know when the new year began that just four months later, his little Hartlepool side would be sitting tied on points with the teams at the very summit of the English first division. And, just a few weeks earlier, it could have all been so very different. With 37 games of the division one season played, George Burley left Derby to replace the sacked David Moyes at Premiership side Everton. The Derby job was the one that Rob had been praying for in his quest to emulate Brian Clough, but in an ironic twist, the Derby board chose Clough's son Nigel as the man to replace Burley, so Rob was left trying to fight his way into the Premiership with Hartlepool.
The year began with an FA Cup visit to Conference side York, and 'Pool were lucky to escape a humiliating defeat. Four times they trailed, but four times they pulled themselves level and when the tie went back to Victoria Park, they put on a real show, dumping the lower league side out by 6-2. Between the two games with York, their league form suffered as defeats to Derby and Ipswich came, though a win over Wolves helped steady the boat. Only a last minute Laurent Robert penalty stopped them from causing a shock in the FA Cup 4th round tie at Newcastle. Hartlepool had gone into half time 4-3 up against the Premiership side, but Matt Carbon's handball meant that the tie went to a replay, which Newcastle won 3-2 thanks to a Patrick Kluivert hat-trick. League defeats to Watford and Leicester followed the Newcastle game, and things looked like they were going downhill fast for the new boys.
However, the Leicester defeat kicked them into gear, and a period of only one defeat in twelve games took them to third place, tied on points with those in first and second with just four games of the season to play. That run began with a 3-0 home win over Stoke, before a Stephen Lovell hat-trick helped dispose of Preston 5-1 at Deepdale. Millwall were put away 3-2 and hard fought 1-1 draws against Reading and Norwich kept the momentum going. The one defeat in the twelve came when they travelled to Barnsley and got thumped 5-2, but a 4-2 win over Nottingham Forest got the train immediately back on the rails. A nervous 1-0 win over Bristol City followed, and things got easier with a 5-1 hammering of Wigan. The trip to Stockport looked a journey too far as they were 3-0 down at half time, but a sterling effort from captain Dean Ashton helped propel Hartlepool to a 5-4 victory. It was that game, coupled with other results around the league, that left 'Pool challenging not only for a place in the play-offs, but automatic promotion and the title itself. FOur games remained, two at home and two away. Any slip-ups would cost them big.
cheers, dave i felt such a scramble for the promotion spots deserved a bit more detail that this story's gone into so far
---------------------------
English Championship: Hartlepool vs Bradford - Victoria Park - Monday 19th April 2004
If Hartlepool were to stand any chance of claiming one of the two automatic promotion spots, let alone the league title itself, they knew that winning their two remaining home games was of paramount importance. Little wonder then that it was a nervy 'Pool side whom Rob Watson sent out to face Bradford. Just twelve months prior they had been in the business of winning the League One title. No one had dared even contemplate that they would be in contention for the Championship crown so soon afterwards.
Bradford had caused Rob their fair share of problems during his three years of management. Even when his side had overcome the Bantams, they had always proven difficult to beat. The man he'd identified as the threat to watch was Scottish striker Kenny Miller. With twenty four goals already to his name that season, Miller had attracted the attention of some high and mighty clubs, and with Hartlepool's defence hardly being the most water tight in the league, it was nigh on guaranteed that he'd have a chance or two during the ninety minutes. Rob only hoped that he'd break a leg or two before he could put any of those opportunities in the back of the net.
With the safety of mid-table meaning that Bradford's season was effectively over (in a competetive sense, at least) it was easy to understand why they began the match as the far more relaxed of the two sides. The pressure of Hartlepool's situation seemed to get to the players, and they were desperately trying to force the issue every time they got hold of the ball. Bradford's approach to the game saw Nicky Shorey pulling the strings from midfield, and he put Miller away for the first chance of the match. Luckily, however, Harald Wapenaar was up to the task and pushed the Scot's effort round the post. Indeed, so on top of proceedings were Bradford, that when Hartlepool snuck into the lead on twenty minutes, it took every single soul in the stadium by surprise.
David Partridge, brought in on loan as cover for injured centre half Matt Carbon, sprayed a long pass out to the right flank for Martin Fotheringham. Fotheringham, who hadn't been able to ean a regular starting place since his summer move from St. Johnstone, won his way to the byline, from where he arrowed a cross into the six yard box, and Dean Ashton nipped ahead of goalkeeper Steve Phillips to head the ball into the empty net. That should have been the goal which relaxed the 'Pool players and let them stamp their authority on the game, but instead they retracted right back into their shell, obviously hoping to defend out until half time. And they almost made it. With Bradford well in control and the clock ticking over to forty five minutes, the Shorey-Miller link up which had caused so many problems struck again as the midfielder crossed and the striker took the ball on his chest before edging his shot under Wapenaar.
Bradford continued their domination into the second half, and the vast amjority of the 7,587 fans in the stadium feared that the Bantams would walk away with the three points that were of such paramount importance to the home side. Nerves were still on edge as the game passed the hour mark and the draw that the match was heading for would not be enough to ensure that the pressure remained on those around Hartlepool. And the groans of exasperation that sounded in the sixty seventh minute signalled that most thought the chance was going to pass them by. Dean Ashton, who had become a fans' favourite since his shock £600,000 move from Crewe in the summer of 2002, and was usually so sharp in front of goal, contrived to stab an effort over the bar from just six yards out. With the goal (and the game) gaping at his mercy, he had simply choked.
But luck was to be, very much, on his side. Had his miss cost 'Pool the win that they deemed vital in this game, he may very well have been held personally responsible by the fans. But two late goals (neither from Dean's boot), against the run of the entire game, ensured that Hartlepool stole what they needed. With just eight minutes of the game remaining, and Rob Watson on the verge of bursting a blood vessel through sheer frustration, Alex Williams charged into the Bradford penalty area. Williams, who had excelled all season in the role of bit-part striker, was only called into action for the Bradford game after Joel Porter got himself suspended for a petulant red card and Stephen Lovell was forced to visit the physio on a long term basis. And hero status awaited when Bradford's Peter Canero crudely hacked him down in the penalty area, and captain Ashton handed him the responsibility of taking the resultant spot kick. Williams stepped up with all the cool of a seasoned pro and hammered his effort past Phillips to send Victoria Park into raptures.
The Bradford players seemingly in shock at being behind once more, Hartlepool began to move the ball around the park with far more fluency, and the points were wrapped up two minutes from time when Gavin Strachan's solo run ended with the midfielder rifling a shot into the roof of the net. Results elsewhere meant that Hartlepool climbed to the summit of the division, but with four clubs just two points behind them and three games still to play, there was a long way to go and everything still to fight for.
Hartlepool 3 - 1 Bradford (Ashton 20"; Miller 45"; Williams pen 82"; Strachan 88")
01-21-2005, 02:01 AM
The only thing that would make a Scouser head for the City Ground (BCC) Post #29
English Championship: Q.P.R. vs Hartlepool - Loftus Road - Saturday 24th April 2004
"I'm gonna stamp on your f*cking nuts when you get in the changing rooms, Wapenaar, ya steaming pile of shîte!"
Clearly, Rob was not too happy with his goalkeeper, Harald Wapenaar. With just eleven minutes of the game to go, the hosts had just forced their way into a 3-2 lead, and for the third time in the game Wapenaar had gifted them a goal through severe ineptitude. This time, he had come for a Martin Rowlands cross only to miss it completely and present young substitute Wayne Norman with the easiest chance he would ever have, and one which he duly took.
Perhaps the most galling thing about being behind at such a late stage, was that the game had started so very well for Hartlepool, and even after they'd suffered the blow of conceding on the stroke of half time, they'd come out with a fantastic attitude for the second period and quickly re-claimed their advantage. But Wapenaar was doing his very best to give the home side the game, and throw away 'Pool's chances of automatic promotion.
Rob had told himself that they needed a point from this fixture. That, coupled with the win over Bradford, a win in their final home game against Portsmouth and a final day point in Sunderland would, he thought, put them in with a very good chance of claiming a spot in the top two. And, after just nine minutes of the game, he felt sure that they'd get at least a point. Dean Ashton, who'd had a fantastic season, pointed out the importance of following up a teammate's strike as Alex Williams' goal bound shot was deflected into his path and he had the simple task of prodding past the grounded goalkeeper to give 'Pool a lead that their early domination deserved.
And their control of the game continued, though they couldn't find a way past Michael Oakes in the QPR goal again. And they were made to pay for that when Danny Shittu's weak shot from the edge of the area was allowed to slip underneath Wapenaar. He claimed at the break, just moments after the incident, that he'd not seen it until very late, but even if that were true, the shot was moving so slowly that he'd have had time for a trip to Belgium and back and still been able to save it.
So Rob was hugely pleased when, two minutes after the interval, Ashton grabbed his second of the day with a beautifully struck free kick which curled round Oakes, leaving the QPR 'keeper with no chance of ever stopping it. The chance to hit the free kick had arisen when Shittu handled the ball two yards outside the area, and though not known for his dead-ball prowess, Ashton sent in a kick that any Brazilian would have been proud of.
But that was to signal a turning point in the game. QPR suddenly found themselves able to play, and began to test Wapenaar, much to Rob's dismay. However, anything difficult that came the Dutchman's way, he swatted away with ease. It seemed that only the pathetically bad efforts on goal could trouble him, and another of them found the back of the net in the 64th minute when he tried to palm Tony Thorpe's shot round the post, but managed only to push it into the corner of the net. So, when Norman was presented with an open goal fifteen minutes later and put the hosts in front, Rob felt there was no way back for his side.
Luckily, however, his side didn't feel that way and, with three minutes remaining, snatched themselves a point and the right to be level on points with the league leaders at the end of the day. Stuart Wardley's run down the right provided him the perfect opportunity to cross, which he did with ease. Waiting in the middle was 73rd minute substitute for Williams, Joel Porter. Back from his suspension, the Australian swung a boot at the incoming ball and ripped it past Oakes to level the scores in what, for the neutral, must have been a thoroughly entertaining game.
Linear Mode
