Nervous Pools relying on penalties!
9 April 2007
Hartlepool 1 Accrington Stanley
Hartlepool got the win they need to almost certainly ensure promotion through a controversial penalty midway through the second half. Not so good for Accrington after this as the loss has them battling for their League status.
Hartlepool dominated the first half, but couldn't find a way to turn their superiority into goals, missing a penalty and hitting the woodwork twice. Pools hit the bar twice through James Brown either side of a dramatic penalty miss. First, on 29 minutes, he turned well in a packed penalty area and from near the spot his shot rebounded back into play before being cleared and on 37 minutes when he shot from just outside the area his shot hitting almost the exact spot on the bar before Stanley again scrambled the ball away. On 34 minutes Richie Barker sent his shot wide of the left-hand post after Jay Harris brought down Andy Monkhouse on the fringe of the area. Either side of that,
Accrington's only chance in the first half was a close-range shot from Sean Doherty.
The penalty that won the game came on 64 minutes when Godwin Antwi, who had a brilliant game at the back for Stanley, was judged to have fouled Barker who blasted in his spot-kick.
Stanley didn't consider themselves beaten and threw everybody forward looking for an equalizer. However, as luck would have it this led to sub Andy Mangan being sent off on 70 minutes for kicking out at Michael Nelson.
End of game. Pools still there.
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