Hartlepool Preview – Another must win game

Wycombe Wanderers entertain Hartlepool United on Saturday in their 41st league game of the season.


The League table shows Hartlepool in 16th place with 45 points from 40 games and Wycombe in 23rd spot with 32 points from 40 games.

Hartlepool’s away record is……Won 4…Drawn 4…Lost 12.
Wycombe’s home record is……Won 4…Drawn 6…Lost 10.


Less than a week ago Hartlepool were one of the few teams Wycombe had a chance of catching, but the two sides’ contrasting fortunes over the Easter weekend have almost certainly put paid to that notion.

While the Chairboys were picking up absolutely no points against Huddersfield and Walsall, the Monkey Hangers were picking up a maximum six points from wins over Orient and Brighton. This gives them a 13 point lead over Wycombe and means that if they win at Adams Park on Saturday it becomes mathematically impossible for the Blues to catch them.

Southend, Tranmere and Orient are the three teams currently standing between Wycombe and survival. The gap to safety is a daunting 9 points but the Chairboys will be aiming for victory over Hartlepool on Saturday and another win at Tranmere on Tuesday to put themselves back in the mix ahead of the final four games of the season.

In order to do that though, Wycombe will have to win for the first time in nine outings and also beat Hartlepool for the first time in their history, having lost three and drawn two of the five previous meetings between the two sides.


Here are all the stats……


Hartlepool’s last five games (All Competitions)

LG1: Tranmere (A)……..Drew 0-0
LG1: Southampton (A)…..Lost 2-3
LG1: Swindon (H)…………Lost 0-1
LG1: Orient (A)……………Won 3-1
LG1: Brighton (H)…………Won 2-0


Wycombe’s last five games (All Competitions)

LG1: Oldham (A) …………Drew 2-2
LG1: Exeter (H)………….. Drew 2-2
LG1: Colchester (A)………Drew 1-1
LG1: Huddersfield (H)……..Lost 1-2
LG1: Walsall (A)…………….Lost 1-2


Hartlepool Goal Stats (44 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total)………53
Goals Conceded (Total)…..65

Goals Scored (Away)……..26
Goals Conceded (Away)….36

Clean Sheets….13


Wycombe Goal Stats (44 games in all Competitions)

Goals Scored (Total)………49
Goals Conceded (Total)…..82

Goals Scored (Home)……..25
Goals Conceded (Home)….39

Clean Sheets….5


Hartlepool’s Top Goal Scorers (All Competitions)

Andy Monkhouse…..10
Adam Boyd……………9
Roy O’Donovan………5
Denis Behan………….5 (inc 1 pen)
Ritchie Jones…………4

Four other Hartlepool players have each scored 3 goals.
Two other Hartlepool players have each scored 2 goals.
Three other Hartlepool players have each scored 1 goal.


Wycombe’s Top Goal Scorers (All Competitions)

Matt Harrold………….10 (inc 6 pens)
Jon-Paul Pittman………9 (inc 1 pen)
Scott Davies……………4
Matt Phillips…………….3
Kevin Betsy…………….3
Stuart Beavon…………3

Three other Wycombe players have each scored 2 goals.
Ten other Wycombe players have each scored 1 goal.


Hartlepool Shooting (Top-3)

Denis Behan…………41 on-target…34 off-target…5 against woodwork
Adam Boyd………….35 on-target…25 off-target…2 against woodwork
Andy Monkhouse…..33 on-target…21 off-target…2 against woodwork


Wycombe Shooting (Top-3)

Jon-Paul Pittman…..33 on-target…22 off-target…1 against woodwork
Scott Davies………..19 on-target…24 off-target…4 against woodwork
Matt Phillips…………20 on-target…20 off-target…2 against woodwork


Shooting (Club)

Hartlepool…227 on target…164 off target…16 against w’work (Rank-16)
Wycombe…204 on target…190 off target…..9 against w’work (Rank-15)



League Form Guide

All Season
Hartlepool..Pld: 40…W: 12…D: 9…..L: 19…Pts: 45…Pts per game: 1.13
Wycombe…Pld: 40…W: 6…..D: 14…L: 20…Pts: 32…Pts per game: 0.80


Since 1st January 2010
Hartlepool…..Pld: 17…W: 5…D: 3…L: 9…Pts: 18…Pts per game: 1.06
Wycombe……Pld: 16…W: 2…D: 8…L: 6…Pts: 14…Pts per game: 0.88


Against Top Half Opposition
Hartlepool……Pld: 22….Pts: 12….Pts per game: 0.55….(Rank-21)
Wycombe…….Pld: 22….Pts: 22….Pts per game: 1.00….(Rank-12)


Against Bottom Half Opposition
Hartlepool…….Pld: 18….Pts: 33….Pts per game: 1.83….(Rank-9)
Wycombe……..Pld: 18….Pts: 10….Pts per game: 0.56….(Rank-24)


Last Five league Games
Hartlepool………DLLWW – 7 points
Wycombe………..DDDLL – 3 points


Last Five League Games (Away)
Hartlepool………..LLDLW – 4 points


Last Five League Games (Home)
Wycombe……….WDDDL – 6 points




Earlier this season the two sides drew 1-1 at Victoria Park with Stuart Beavon putting Wycombe in front after 50 minutes and Adam Boyd equalising ten minutes from time.


All Previous Meetings

2003/04: LG1 Hartlepool 1 Wycombe 1
2003/04: LG1 Wycombe 3 Hartlepool 4
2006/07: LG2 Hartlepool 2 Wycombe 0
2006/07: LG2 Wycombe 0 Hartlepool 1
2009/10: LG1 Hartlepool 1 Wycombe 1

3 wins for Hartlepool, 0 wins for Wycombe and 2 draws.



The Man In The Middle

Saturday’s referee is Darren Sheldrake from Surrey who was promoted to the National List of Referees in 2009. His most recent Wycombe game was the 2-1 win over Stockport County at Adams Park earlier this season. During the current campaign he’s issued 48 yellow and 4 red cards in 21 games.


Prediction

Home Win


Rivals’ Saturday Games

Exeter v Orient
Leeds v Southend
Walsall v Tranmere