Hartlepool United 2-0 Northampton Town

It was a flash point with around twenty minutes to go that summed up Friday night’s dismal defeat at Hartlepool as the Cobblers were overtaken by their evening opponents. For the couple of hundred hardy souls that braved the elements knowing that we had just a handful of options available on the team sheet, Ryan Gilligan’s reaction to being substituted echoed their own feelings.

By the time the midfielder was replaced in the middle of the park by young Joe Benjamin we were already near enough down and out and his reaction, apparently lashing out at a staff member, signalled all frustrations that are working their way around the club of late.

It was just five minutes when the wheels were beginning to be set in motion, to set the tone for a night to forget for Cobblers’ players, staff and fans. Michael MacKay took down a high ball and set up Joel Porter who finished well past Chris Dunn in the Town goal to give the home side the lead.

It could so easily have been two on twelve minutes had Dunn not pulled off a good save from the maker of the goal, MacKay who sent in a shot from distance. Although Dunn got a good hand to the ball, the referee pointed for just a goal kick.

It took until ten minute before the break for Stuart Gray’s men to make a real chance and the game had the feeling of one where we would need something soon if we were thinking of taking anything from it. Adebayo Akinfenwa shot just over the bar before Leon Constantine forced a save from Arran Lee-Barratt. The home side had the final shot of the half as Porter so nearly added to his tally when he hit the post.

It was soon after the restart that the Cobblers’ challenge grew as Porter did double his efforts for the night by storming through the Town half and finishing low past Dunn for 2-0.

Alex Dyer came off the bench to replace Colin Larkin, who had started the game in midfield alongside Ryan Gilligan and Abdul Osman as the youngster once again made up a bench full of youthful faces.

Liam Dolman and Adebayo Akinfenwa both had efforts that were off target before Gilligan’s flash point as he was brought off the pitch with Benjamin replacing him. Hartlepool gave an introduction to their new loan signing Liam Henderson as he replaced goal scorer Porter.

Despite late substitute Liam Davis having a shot cleared off the line in the final knockings, it was all we could conjure up in a game that showed limitations in the current squad and frustration starting to kick in at the wrong time with a worrying amount of time left to play this season that could see the league position drop towards the deadly bottom four.

Bottom club Crewe come to Town next weekend, by which time the squad does need bolstering. Stuart Gray missed out on Luke Rodgers who seemed to take the money option by joining Yeovil Town on Friday night. But loan signings are the option with of course the right players being very difficult to find. Time is now to have patience with Stuart Gray. No-one has come in this week but would we prefer to be angry at that or have him sign a random player that’s nowhere near good enough in order to appease the restless?

Now we see what this afternoon’s results bring and hope that the league position doesn’t change too much with a full fixture list scheduled.