Goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell is expected to make his Hartlepool debut against Crewe in the Carabao Cup on Tuesday.Mitchell joined his hometown club on a permanent deal on Friday following his release by Derby earlier this summer.Fellow new signings, Matty Daly and Tyler Burey, are also pushing for their first starts after coming off the bench to good effect at the weekend.Pools marked their retu...Full Story »

Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton will use the depth of his squad for the Carabao Cup first-round clash with Cheltenham.Barton has signalled his intention to involve those players who did not feature in Saturday’s 2-1 defeat at Mansfield, during which skipper Paul Coutts was sent off.Strikers Brett Pitman (ankle) and Aaron Collins (thigh) are unlikely to be involved and defender Trevor Clark...Full Story »

Dave Challinor was satisfied with the performance of his Hartlepool players on a “brilliant day” that saw Gavan Holohan’s late goal snatch a 1-0 win against Crawley on their return to the EFL.Challinor could not hide his delight on the touchline when midfielder Holohan chested down new loan signing Tyler Burey’s cross before firing the ball into the bottom corner in the 8...Full Story »

Fuming Bristol Rovers boss Joey Barton criticised referee Josh Smith after his 10-man side lost 2-1 to Mansfield after a late penalty.The game was level at 1-1 when Paul Coutts was sent off for an off-the-ball incident involving Danny Johnson in the 77th minute.The Stags then won it six minutes into stoppage-time as Johnson scored from the spot after Mark Hughes had tugged Oli Hawkins.“We ...Full Story »

Gavan Holohan hit a brilliant late winner as Hartlepool marked their return to the EFL with a 1-0 win over Crawley in Sky Bet League Two.Holohan chested and then volleyed a lovely cross from debutant Tyler Burey into the bottom corner with two minutes remaining to secure three points.Pools, promoted via the National League play-offs in June after four years at that level, had their moments but h...Full Story »

New signings Mark Cullen and Jake Lawlor are both expected to be available for Hartlepool’s first game back in the English Football League against Crawley on Saturday.Defender Lawlor is on his way back from a hamstring injury he sustained in a pre-season fixture against Spennymoor.Neill Byrne, Fela Olomola, and Reagan Ogle are all in line for their first official starts for the club.Joe Gr...Full Story »

There are some players who just thrive when teams are built around them and they are allowed to do what they do best, but they tend to disappear once they get a big move once they become little more than a squad member. Ross Barkley may be a fine example of a player who could look fantastic if he’s allowed to be the talisman for a mid-table Premier League side, and a report from The Ath...Full Story »

Hartlepool sealed their return to the English Football League after four years away despite a dramatic stoppage-time strike from Torquay goalkeeper Lucas Covolan threatening to derail their quest to win the Vanarama National League play-off final.Luke Armstrong’s first-half strike looked to have secured Pools’ return to Sky Bet League Two, with Torquay seeing two Kyle Cameron goals r...Full Story »

Rhys Oates netted the winner as Hartlepool secured their place in the National League play-off final with a 1-0 victory over Stockport.The 26-year-old forward struck from distance in the 76th minute to ensure Pools beat a Stockport side that had gone 18 matches unbeaten.It was a game of few chances, with Oates firing wide and Gavan Holohan heading off target for Pools, while goalkeeper Bradley J...Full Story »

Three goals in seven first-half minutes did the damage as Hartlepool booked their place in the semi-finals of the Vanarama National League play-offs with a 3-2 win over Bromley.Rhys Oates grabbed a brace and Luke Armstrong was also on the scoresheet as Pools proved just too strong in their eliminator clash.Dave Challinor’s side, who finished fourth, will now face Stockport next Sunday to t...Full Story »

Hartlepool’s hopes of a top-three finish in the Vanarama National League ended, despite a 4-0 victory over Weymouth in the final game of the regular season.Stockport’s win at Yeovil meant they claimed the remaining semi-final spot at the expense of Dave Challinor’s team, who finished the regular campaign in fourth place and will face Bromley next Sunday for a place in the semis...Full Story »

Steve Bruce said Joe Willock is enjoying the freedom offered to him at Newcastle after becoming only the second player after Alan Shearer to score in seven consecutive Premier League games for the club.The 21-year-old, who joined the Magpies on transfer deadline day, has helped consolidate Newcastle’s status in the Premier League with eight goals, including seven in seven matches culminati...Full Story »

Joe Willock became the first player since Alan Shearer to score in seven consecutive Premier League games for Newcastle as they beat Fulham 2-0 at Craven Cottage.The 21-year-old, who joined the Magpies on transfer deadline day, has helped consolidate Newcastle’s status in the Premier League with eight goals, including seven in seven matches.Fabian Schar secured all three points with a 88th...Full Story »

Sutton thumped Hartlepool 3-0 to claim the National League title and promotion to the Football League for the first time in 123 years.Rob Milsom, Louis John and Isaac Olaofe sent Sutton into League Two with a commanding victory over their promotion rivals.Full-back Milsom saw his low free-kick spilled into the net by Middlesbrough loan goalkeeper Brad James, while defender John bagged his third ...Full Story »

Joe Kizzi claimed a dramatic late winner as Bromley kept themselves in contention for the Vanarama National League play-offs with a thrilling 3-2 success at Aldershot.Defender Kizzi nodded home a cross from substitute Harry Forster in the fifth minute of added time to keep the Ravens behind seventh-placed Chesterfield on goal difference only.Harry Panayiotou looked like costing the visitors a pr...Full Story »

An injury-time penalty earned Eastleigh a 1-0 victory over Boreham Wood in a major boost to their National League play-off hopes.The Spitfires threw everything at their opponents in the final stages and were rewarded when the referee pointed to the spot, with Joe Tomlinson converting.Boreham Wood hit the bar in the first half through Gus Mafuta, while Eastleigh had an 88th-minute effort ruled ou...Full Story »

Joe Willock was urged to make his stay at Newcastle permanent after he scored in a sixth successive Premier League game to hand the Magpies victory over Sheffield United.On a night when Allan Saint-Maximin turned in a virtuoso performance to mesmerise the relegated Blades’ defence, the 10,000 members of the Toon Army allowed into St James’ Park for the first time since February last ...Full Story »

Hartlepool kept up their promotion push with a 3-1 win at Aldershot to move third in the Vanarama National League.There was little to chose between the teams during the first half, as Pools goalkeeper Brad James saved a free-kick from Craig Tanner.With conditions worsening, Hartlepool finally broke the deadlock just before the hour mark through Luke Armstrong before strike partner Rhys Oates hea...Full Story »

Joe Kizzi scored the only goal as Bromley gave their play-off hopes a big boost with a 1-0 victory at National League strugglers Wealdstone.The visitors started brightly and had a good chance to take the lead midway through the first half when forward Michael Cheek was played in on goal, but Joseph Olowu made a crucial block to deny him.Wealdstone nearly opened the scoring two minutes into the s...Full Story »

Sam Barratt scored a hat-trick for 10-man Maidenhead in a 4-2 victory over promotion-chasing Hartlepool.Maidenhead were leading 2-1 – Danilo Orsi-Dadamo and Barratt netting either side of a Rhys Oates equaliser – when Ryheem Sheckleford was sent off for a poor challenge in the 42nd minute.However, the visitors went from strength to strength as Barratt added his second and third goals...Full Story »