RICHIE’S SO AS STONES RAMPANT SHIP SEVEN
SLo-Everton 87, Gondoh 90
TOCKPORT County will be rushing to recall hat-trick hero Richie Bennett from his loan at promotion rivals Hartlepool United after he spearheaded the demolition of Wealdstone and kept their title hopes back on track.
The 30-yearold signed for Pools on April Fool’s Day but the joke has been on County who have seen the ex-Barrow, Carlisle and Port Vale frontman score five goals in four appearances to stretch their unbeaten run to 15 games.
It was the first time Bennett had partnered Hartlepool star Rhys Oates up front and they were devastating against a Wealdstone side that just wanted the day to end, let alone the season.
Stockport are able to recall Bennett within 28 days of his loan move and
Pools boss Dave Challinor would be wise to turn his phone off.
“Unfortunately, at the time, we needed to get a striker in so we accepted that may be the case,” he told The NLP. “They’re quite within their prerogative if they need to bring him back.
“He’s given us a different option, a different dynamic.
“We’re probably going into it knowing Richie will get called back at some point and we’ll use him as we can and get out him what we need to keep us in the position we are. He’s done brilliantly today and will make for a good trip back.”
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Shelvey, who denied Pools from hitting double figures.
Wealdstone did have firsthalf chances through Dennon Lewis and Alex Dyer but both were held by Henrich Ravas.
Bennett then netted twice in the space of three minutes as Oates stood up a cross for his strike partner to head in before Shelvey was unlucky his save fell perfectly for Bennett again.
Oates struck the post with a header just before the break with Pools in full flow but Wealdstone weren’t let off for long as he combined with Bennett after half-time and smashed in a fourth. Michael Phillips gave away two penalties, the first for handball which captain Nicky Featherstone tucked away and then another for hauling down Bennett, who stepped up and netted for his hat-trick.
They sandwiched a tidy strike from Mark Shelton on a torrid day for Wealdstone, who at least salvaged someproud in the final five minutes. Sub Sonny Blu Lo-Everton, on loan from Watford, scored a tidy solo effort before Ryan Gondoh curled a delicious strike into the top corner to take a fraction of the gloss off the victory.