Pools Tor(n) (the) Quay
17 February 2007
Torquay v Hartlepool
On a wet afternoon in the debt capital of England Pools had to withstand some serious pressure from Torquay but Danny Wilson's men hung on for three valuable points which put them joint top of the league. Pools turn the key on Torquay by working pressure but they didn’t have this game all to themselves.
Pools started the game brightly enough with a corrner kick after just two minutes, Ritchie Humphreys floating the ball into the box but Matthew Hockley headed clear. Pools didn't have to wait long to opening the scoring though as Eifion Williams met an Andy Monkhouse cross on 7 minutes to slot home from 12 yards out.
Torquay almost equalised on 27 minutes as a shot went past Dimitrious Konstantopoulos. However, the referee spotted a deflection and awarded the home side a corner, and thanks to the Pools defence the away side cleared their lines from the set piece and the danger was gone. They rain didn’t go though and atrocious weather continued with driving rain not helping the football.
Pools had appeals for a penalty kick turned down on the half hour mark after Andy Monkhouse went down inside the Torquay box.
The second half started with no changes to either side and with the rain still belting down, and as it developed Torquay started to increase the pressure on the Pools defence. The home side introduced two substitutions trying to force Pools on the back foot but Hartlepool were having none of it as they doggedly hung on.
As the game entered the final ten minutes Pools looked to have weathered the Torquay storm and with just two minutes remaining Pools attacked through Tony Sweeney, the Pools midfielder winning a corner kick to keep the pressure on the home side.
Pools were hanging on into injury time but after a couple of additional minutes the referee brought the game to a close, a valuable three points for Pools putting them second place on goal difference.
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