The mild autumn weather is holding for the first round proper, and on a sunny day Victoria Park presents itself well as an unpretentious lower league ground. The grandstand seating on three sides is proportionate, though with plenty of blue & white seats still on show. The traditionalists can stand under cover at one end or in one touchline enclosure. My £10 gains entry to the popular end among the more vocal Hartlepool fans.
The lights are already on as the teams run through their pre-match drills, and another first for the season is (as befits the status of the home team) the presence of a professionally kitted-out mascot – H’Angus the Monkey - patrolling the perimeter and high-fiving the kids. The teams are announced in leisurely fashion and it is pleasing to note that the home team include both Hartley and Poole in their line up; more seriously it also includes Nobby Solano, who is having an Indian summer to his fine career.
Finally the teams come out to a dramatic rendition of Carl Orff’s “O Fortuna”, and the standard applause swells as they are followed onto the pitch by uniformed representatives of the various armed services complete with flags. It is the day after Remembrance Day and poppies are much in evidence, including on the cover of the programme which also sports John McCrae’s poem “In Flanders Field”. In such a context the two minutes silence is emotional and total, enhanced rather than broken by the shrieking of the seagulls (ever present in Hartlepool) and the click of the turnstiles as bemused latecomers make their way into the hushed arena.
Hartlepool in their traditional blue & white stripes choose to first defend their “home” end, saving the benefit of attacking it for the more crucial second half. The same will apply to Stevenage , in a smart strip of white shirts and poppy-red shorts and socks, though there are only a few travelling fans behind their goal. The early play is reflective of recent form. Hartlepool have lost the last 4 at home and appear uncomfortable on the ball, keen to shift it on, if necessary by an aimless high ball. Stevenage , in contrast have won 4 of the last 5 and when they get the ball are content to keep possession and play on the ground.
This pays dividends inside 10 minutes when an angled pass exposes the Hartlepool keeper to an onrushing Craig Reid. The resultant coming together leaves the Stevenage man sprawling, the Hartlepool keeper pleading innocence, the home crowd shouting cheat, and the referee reaching in his pocket for a red card. Once the dust has settled and Hartlepool have sacrificed an outfielder to get on the substitute keeper, Scott Laird slots home the penalty without fuss.
At 1-0 Stevenage are even more composed and Hartlepool more flustered. While the home team get hot under the collar and collect a couple of bookings, Stevenage calmly use their one man advantage to play football. They get a lot of joy down the right flank and produce a sequence of shots from distance and dangerous crosses. The latter are however generally well dealt with by the centre halves. It is 40 minutes before Hartlepool are able to muster sustained pressure, culminating in a free kick that is headed over the bar.
So half time arrives with no further change to the score. Stevenage should be ahead by more, but the way Hartlepool ’s ten men are playing one goal could be enough. Ever optimistic, the Hartlepool Mail photographer has trooped down to the home end but his chances of capturing a home goal do not look good.
Nevertheless, the ten men are now dominating and half chances appear. A header from Luscombe goes over; a scramble in the box ends with the ball in the arms of the keeper; and an angled effort from Sweeney is taken under the bar. With 15 minutes to go Hartlepool have to take risks and defender Humphreys is replaced by Boyd as they go three at the back.
It’s getting noisy behind the goal and Monkhouse raises hopes with a dipping shot that bounces off the top of the bar before being cleared. It is not all one-way traffic and when Stevenage do break out they are dangerous against Hartlepool ’s depleted defence. As full time approaches the home fans behind the goal seem to console themselves by singing (for reasons unknown to the uninitiated) the whole of Rolf Harris’s “Two Little Boys”. The fourth official shows his appreciation by signalling 5 minutes added time and some of the home fans still believe an equaliser possible; but it proves unattainable and the game ends 0-1, with all turning on that early disputed penalty decision.
