Fraser and Brett get Teddy off the mark
JOY and celebration? Teddy Sheringham’s first win as a football manager was marked with a nonchalant smile.
It has taken five attempts, but the newlyappointed Stevenage boss is off the mark.
The performance wasn’t pretty, but it was a starting point for the much-celebrated former international goalscorer.
After three defeats and a draw, goals from Fraser Franks and Brett Williams got Sheringham off the mark and ensured Hartlepool United lost their 100 per cent record for the season.
“Relief? No not really, I’m enjoying it – it’s all good fun,” insisted Sheringham.
“We are a young side and we didn’t want to give much away on Friday and we had to readjust and take stock of things.
“I think when you are trying to get your first point you are nervous and that was the case.
“We knew this wasn’t going to be an easy game – they are flying high and have had a very good start to the season.
“If they had half a chance then we knew they could be back into it, so it was a case of making sure we don’t concede and seeing the game out.”
Charlie Lee should have given the home side the lead, but scuffed wide from close range in the opening minutes before visiting striker Rakish Bingham fired at ‘keeper Chris Day from ten yards.
Lively wide man Dipo Akinyemi had a shot deflected wide for Sheringham’s side before a dangerous cross evaded Lee.
But they took the lead on 45 minutes when Franks headed in a corner from the left by Steven Schumacher. It took Pools until the 75th minute before they got going. Substitute Rhys Oates got in on goal, but his touch was heavy and Mark Hughes cleared off the line.
Then Bingham sliced a shot into the side netting and Ebby Nelson-Addy had a goal-bound shot stopped on the line, with Pools claiming handball. But it was game over with two minutes to go as Williams latched onto a long ball and finished.
Pools boss Ronnie Moore said: “It’s disappointing, it wasn’t a great game and we were slow starters.
“We get done in injury time and that’s disappointing.
“We work all week on set plays and the benefit of set plays and we concede one on half-time. Then they score from a long ball and it’s sloppy.
“We never got going, there wasn’t anything in the game, it was just about defending the areas.
“The game was there for the taking, they were there to get beat and it we started with tempo like we should have done it would have been different.
“It’s been a good start to the season, but we have to come here and match them.”