Match Report | Cards put on superb defensive display at Pools

Hartlepool United 1-1 Woking
Vanarama National League
25th January 2025

Woking made the trip up to Hartlepool with something of a threadbare squad. Tunji Akinola, Aiden O’Brien and Ben Wynter joined the absentees, enforcing a first league start for Tariq Hinds and a debut for loanee Chinwike Okoli after he joined from Millwall. Elsewhere, Timi Odusina returned to the squad for the first time in a few months after recovering from injury.

Jermaine Anderson and Frank Vincent returned to the lineup in place of Lewis Walker and Jamie Andrews, who both made the bench.

Hartlepool lined up with former Brighton winger Kazenga LuaLua aiming to feed a duo of Adam Campbell and Mani Dieseruvwe, the latter of which is Pools’ top scorer. They had two new signings of their own in Sam Folarin, bought from Harrogate and Rayes Cleary on loan from West Brom, who both started on the bench alongside former Woking loanee Billy Sass-Davies.

Barely a minute into the game, a Pools corner was well met at the back post by Luke Waterfall, but his header flew just over the bar at the Rink End.

Despite most of the early pressure coming from the hosts, Woking created an opening when Matt Ward and Hinds linked up well, with the latter teeing up Anderson to fire over the bar.

In what was becoming quite a stop start game, two Hartlepool players and one Woking player in Anderson were booked before the half hour mark as much of the game took part in the middle third of the pitch.

A golden chance for the hosts came 33 minutes into the half, when good work from Luke Charman saw him square for LuaLua, whose effort at goal was skewed high over the crossbar from inside the box.

A crucial moment in the game came just after, when Dan Dodds’ clearance fell nicely for Dieseruvwe bearing down on goal. Okoli brought him down and as the last man was sent off to give the hosts a man advantage.

As part of the reshuffle following Okoli’s dismissal, Anderson made way for Odusina to make his first appearance since November. Will Jaaskelainen was forced into his first intervention when Dodds sent a cross onto the head of LuaLua, but the header was tame and easily caught.

0-0 a more than fair scoreline at the break, but advantage Hartlepool thanks to Okoli’s red card despite the lack of clear cut chances.

Half-time: Hartlepool 0-0 Woking

Another big decision for the referee to make went the way of the Cards this time, as LuaLua was adjudged to have dived inside the box under the challenge of Vincent. As Pools upped the ante, Nathan Sheron forced Jaaskelainen into a good save down to his left after the midfielder hit a low drive from just outside the penalty area.

Woking had a shock lead after 54 minutes when Beautyman’s dinked ball towards the back post was slid home by Pools defender David Ferguson. The left back seemed to be caught in two minds whether to leave the ball with Vincent probing, and turned it into the bottom corner.

The inevitable Hartlepool response followed, with Pools continuing to dominate the ball and starting to create openings. Substitute Cleary stooped a cross towards the back post, where Charman headed just wide of the bottom corner.

Hartlepool did have an equaliser after 67 minutes when Charman nodded a Nicky Featherstone free kick into the bottom corner.

Pools then hit the bar when Dodds found Cleary with a cut back, and the West Brom youngster’s shot clipped the woodwork on its way over.

A rare venture forwards with just five minutes left saw Beautyman catch out Adam Smith in goal, but his shot went agonisingly over the bar from the left hand side of the box.

Despite the late inevitable onslaught from the hosts, Woking held on for arguably the most impressive result of the Ardley era. Backs against the wall against a side bang in form, yet coming out with a very important point thanks to a colossal defensive effort.



Woking: Jaaskelainen, Chicksen, Mazionis, Gorman, Okoli, Ward, Effiong, Beautyman, Vincent (Andrews 69’), Anderson (Odusina 39’)

Subs: Webber, Lewis, Walker, Jones

Goals: Ferguson OG 54’

Bookings: Anderson 29’, Gorman 43’

Sent Off: Okoli 36’

Hartlepool United: Smith, Dodds, Waterfall, Parkes, Ferguson, Sheron (Hunter 83’), Featherstone, Charman, Campbell (Folarin 66’), LuaLua (Cleary 58’), Dieseruvwe

Subs: Young, Sass-Davies, Bondswell, Sloggett

Goals: Charman 67’

Bookings: Parkes 19’, Sheron 25’, LuaLua 47’

Attendance:

Man of the Match: Adam Chicksen showed his years of experience in helping organise and marshal a youthful back line despite the circumstances.