HARTLEPOOL UNITED 0 BARNET 2 ‘Go now’ call by Stelling as Pools teeter on brink
TWO games to go and Pools’ Football League future is hanging by a thread.
Defeat at home to Barnet saw them drop into the relegation places as Newport jumped out and over them with a win over Accrington.
While the Welsh side have momentum, Pools have nothing about them. No idea, no tactics, no organisation.
They are going down under Dave Jones without a fight.
Jones came in for stick from the Victoria Park crowd – with the players and chairman also in the firing line.
And the manager was criticised by club president Jeff Stelling. The lifelong Pools fan and Sky Sports presenter raged on television after the result.
He said: “We have lost at home, in the relegation places, and it’s not personal but for God’s sake for the good of the club go now. Walk now. It’s 13 points from 51, this is not your level of football. Pam Duxbury (financial director), the chairman Gary Coxall, if he won’t walk, then sack him. If it means me resigning as president then I do so happily – do it now, do it today.’’
Jones won’t quit, he won’t walk away and Pools appear stuck with him for the last two games at Cheltenham on Saturday, then Doncaster the following weekend.
The manager said: “We have to win at Cheltenham next week, we think about what we can do. We did things different this week, change the personnel a bit, we are stuck with what we have got.
“We try and change it, but it’s getting that bit of fight and scrap – keep hold of what you have got.
“I’ve fought all my life and I won’t stop, but I didn’t expect the players to stop too.’’
This was woeful from Pools, make no mistake. After defeat at Leyton Orient on Monday, they expected a response, but didn’t get it. It was an hour before their first shot, Nathan Thomas firing at the keeper from 25 yards. And they were soon trailing. John Akinde, a big bustling striker, turned in the area, and cracked an angled drive past keeper Joe Fryer.
It took only five minutes for the second to follow.
Matthew Bates and Carl Magnay collided on halfway, Jamal Campbell-Ryce raced away and set up substitute Simeon Akinola to net.
Fryer brought down Akinde in the area and the keeper easily saved the weak spot-kick, but it was irrelevant.
This was only Barnet’s second win in 13 and they coasted to victory.
Jones added: “It’s disappointing, we are trying to fight for our lives and you want to see more than is happening at this moment.
“It’s been a really good week, working hard, but putting it into practice, it’s difficult at the moment.
“Everyone had to stand up and be counted, I don’t mind taking the stick and the fight to people but I expect more than I’ve seen today.
“We work all week and you say there’s no problem. Senior players have been around to help alleviate it, but once the baton is handed over, you want to see fight.
“I come here with my reputation on the line, you want to help, one or two are being carried and you can’t do that. Everyone has to realise the situation we are in.’’