Match Report: Hartlepool 1-1 Wealdstone – Pools Sink to 10th in Enterprise National League

Hartlepool drew 1-1 with Wealdstone in an entertaining encounter at Prestige Group stadium. 

An angled finish from Alex Reid opened the scoring for the hosts before a quick response from Nathan Tshikuna levelled the game. 

Coming into the game, Hartlepool sat in 9th place with visitors Wealdstone sitting in eighth, and both teams had tasted victory in their previous games.

After an entertaining start, Hartlepool striker Reid opened the scoring three minutes in through a brilliant strike past the near post from a tight angle after a long diagonal from Jamie Miley. 

This proceeded a quick response from the visitors on the fifth minute as they equalised through a curled strike just inside the box from Nathan Tshikuna after he did well to go past the defenders.

Just two minutes later Wealdstone nearly doubled the lead through Micah Obeiro as his long range strike went just wide of the post.

Wealdstone came close again through a 12th minute strike outside of the box from Seb Hutchinson but it was well saved by George Evans in the Hartlepool goal.

After brilliant build up play Hartlepool had possession on the edge of the box but couldn’t find the final pass and the attack ended after a penalty appeal was waved away by referee Benjamin Speedie.

Just before half time, Pools’ Matty Daly saw an effort inside the box deflect wide.

Second half:

To open the second half, Daly chipped a pass into Reid who powered a shot at goal but was well saved by visiting goalkeeper Dante Baptiste.

Within a minute of each other Hartlepool had two long range strikes from Reid and Daly but neither troubled Baptiste’s goal.

First yellow card of the game went to Hartlepool’s Jack Hunter for pulling down Stones sub Dylan Kadji in the middle of the park.

Just past the hour, a chance came for Wealdstone when Tshikuna cut in from the left wing but his curled strike could only sting the palms of Evans. 

A few minutes later, a long range strike from Adam Campbell was well saved to his right by Baptiste.

Wealdstone had a huge opportunity in the 72nd minute as Sub Dan Nkrumah turned past his man on the left wing and put the ball into the box for ex- pool Olufela Olomola but Evans was there to deny.

In the 88th minute Hartlepool came close after a powerful run from defender Max Kouogun from deep led to his shot falling just wide of the post.

Two minutes into injury time, Pools had it in the back of the net, after a saved Alex Reid chance was saved – Danny Johnson was denied a late goal after he was deemed to be offside after the striker redirected a ball in from Besart Topallaj.

With only moments to go Hartlepool came close again after a header from Parkes was saved after a cross into the box from debutant Pharrel Brown.

Full time 1-1.

Hartlepool will next travel down south to face Eastleigh to look to return to winning ways.

Hartlepool:  Evans, Benn, Kouogun, Parkes, John (Topallaj 87’), Campbell (Brown 87’), Sheron, Hunter (Johnson 65’), Miley, Reid, Daly

Wealdstone: Baptiste, Agyemang, Cook (Diarra 82’), Mcavoy, Turner (Kadji 57’), Tshikuna, Georgiou ( Tiensia 82’), Boldewijn (Nsasi 82’), Olomola, Hutchinson, Obiero ( Nkrumah 67)

Unused Hartlepool Subs: Smith, Aungiers, Walker, Foreman

Unused Wealdstone Subs: Graczyk, Christie-Davies.