MAESTRO MANCINI TOO SLICK FOR HOOPS
ANTHONY Mancini provided the spark to give Lennie Lawrence a winning start as caretaker boss at Hartlepool United.
Former Premier League boss Lawrence and assistant Anthony Sweeney oversaw a first win in seven matches for Pools after replacing John Askey – and had Frenchman Mancini to largely thank for a victory against strugglers Oxford City.
Fit-again Mancini didn’t score but was given a standing ovation after his performance included two moments that led to Hartlepool’s goals.
Tom Crawford scored the first in the 55th minute before Joe Grey grabbed his third goal in four matches in the 62nd minute. Both stemmed from Mancini’s creativity and shots.
Even though Seydil Toure pulled one back for City with 13 minutes remaining, it was relieving for the 76-yearold interim boss to make his return to the dug-out after ten years and win.
Lawrence, a club director who revealed the search for a new manager is ongoing, said: “You pick it up again easily – it was a novel feeling in some ways. It never leaves you really. I will have to keep taking the tablets!
“It was enjoyable to be back in there and it obviously helps to have won.
“It was three months since we had won at home too, so the fans will have been satisfied, happier. Hopefully it gives the players a bit of confidence.
“Anthony has a lot of talent. The decision was made for him to start, it was the correct decision and he did remarkably well. He has been a big miss, we have had a lot of injuries but fans get fed up whingeing about injuries, that is what we had available and this is how we did it.”
Oxford City boss Ross Jenkins had been satisfied with the way his side had started but was left frustrated by Mancini’s bit of magic.
Jenkins, whose side have won just one of their last eight, said: “The No 8 was brilliant, the best player on the pitch.
“We have faced clubs in the past who have had a new manager bounce or a takeover, we knew that was highly likely. We can’t control that.”
Lawrence, back in the dug-out for the first time in 12 years, needed to find a way to turn early dominance into a goal without leading scorer Mani Dieseruvwe.
But Mancini stepped up. His initial effort was saved by Bycroft and then Crawford curled low inside the far corner first time to raise Hartlepool spirits.
Within seven minutes it was two. Mancini again was the orchestrator, driving at the defence before his blocked effort from inside the area dropped invitingly for Grey to tap in.
Mancini’s withdrawal led to City improvements. Josh Parker curled a brilliant free-kick against the bar and then Toure was on hand to turn in from the corner soon after. Pools, though, had done enough. STAR MAN: Anthony Mancini (Hartlepool) ATT: 3,579 ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★ REFEREE: Richard Aspinall