HARTLESS
Pools relegated after a cruel, late twist
HARTLEPOOL UNITED’S 96-year stay in the Football League ended in tears at Victoria Park last night.
And despite denying Darren Ferguson’s Doncaster Rovers the League Two title, thanks to two late goals from teenager Devante Rodney, they will be in the National League next season.
The Teesside club, where Brian Clough cut his teeth in management, went down fighting in front of a near sell-out crowd, but even the late, desperate intervention of Rodney, and their Soccer Saturday super-fan Jeff Stelling could not save them.
Two weeks ago, when Pools slipped into the bottom two, Stelling (right) quit as club ambassador. He was followed shortly afterwards by manager Dave Jones and chairman Gary Coxall, but their exits proved too late.
Doncaster opened the scoring when Andy Williams slotted under Trevor Carson’s body.
Initially Williams’ goal was disallowed by assistant referee Helen Byrne. But referee Mark Brown gave it, after spotting the final touch into Williams’ path came from Pools defender Carl Magnay, who had made a dreadful sliced clearance.
The home side were exposed by Rovers’ captain James Coppinger, who had slipped past Michael Woods’ poor challenge in the corner, after his free-kick had been blocked.
While Pools supporters were still coming to terms with conceding the opener, news came through that Newport had gone in front with a penalty, leaving the hosts requiring an even bigger miracle.
Ronnie Moore had inspired the Great Escape at Victoria Park two years ago but there was to be no repeat, for all the efforts of former Middlesbrough pair Matthew Bates and Stuart Parnaby, who were placed in caretaker charge.
When they sent on Rodney after news had come through of Notts County’s equaliser at Newport, the game changed. Within a minute of his introduction, the former Manchester City and Sheffield Wednesday teenager sent the entire ground into pandemonium, firing his first-ever league goal into the bottom of the net after Rovers had failed to clear Padraig Amond’s cross. Then Rodney, making only the fourth substitute appearance of his career, drifted past two defenders seven minutes from the end, before smashing the ball into an empty net.
There was a brief pitch invasion from a couple of hundred fans, before the game resumed and the home side had to survive one low effort from Conor Grant.
But then the cruel news of Newport’s winner hit Victoria Park, leaving the entire ground deflated.
Hartlepool, who had survived re-election a record 14 times, will be playing for the first time in the National League next season.