Bradford City U18s 4 – 3 Hartlepool United U18s – Saturday 29th Nov 2014

Last week we travelled up north to Hartlepool United, where a Reece Webb-Foster hat-trick and a wonderful strike from James Pollard saw us leave 4-3 winners.

Our first threat on 8 minutes saw good link up play between Webb-Foster and Callum Chippendale. Webb-Foster showed good ball control and skill to pick out Chippendale, who was brought down just outside the box.

We went 1-0 up through an excellent team goal in the 13th minute.  Sumali Cissa and Zander McBurnie confidently pushed forward and allowed Luca Mellor to square the ball for Webb-Foster to tap in.

The goal was all that separated the two sides in the opening minutes, Hartlepool had a free-kick three minutes after our goal but it was well dealt with by Elliot Barker and Webb-Foster’s 22nd minute effort was headed off the line.

Slack defending allowed Hartlepool to equalised in the 28th minute. They carried the ball from their own half with ease and their effort found the back of the net.

The home side were first to attack from the restart and a spell of three corners in as many minutes gave them the opportunity to go into the lead. They continued to press but their chances were well kept out by the defence and Elliott Barker.

We turned the game around in the last minutes of the first half, with three fantastic goals.. Reece Webb-Foster’s deflected shot in the 44 minute restored our lead. We went 3-1 up a minute later when Pollard’s crisp shot from just outside the centre circle hit the back of the net and in the 47th minute Webb-Foster scored his third of the game after latching onto Jack Waters’ header and firing into the top of the goal.

Despite starting the second half with a three-goal cushion, the home side scored in the first minute to make it 4-2. Hartlepool continued to pressure our goal however, we managed to keep out the attack.

Webb-Foster’s effort on the hour mark just looped over goal and Luca Mellors effort two minutes later also deflected over the bar. Sumali Cissa had our best chance to settle the game a minute before the end but his effort went just wide of the post.

Hartlepool scored just seconds later to close the gap but thankfully our four goals from the first half were enough to secure all three points.