Butterfield helps Derby avoid slip-up at Pools

There is always a sense of romance built with the history of the FA Cup, when small sides get glamour ties and for this tie, Derby County were there to be shot at.

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Article by Fred Gough

Hartlepool United [1] Derby County [2]  - Attendance: 4,860

Paul Clement’s men were drawn against League Two opposition Hartlepool United after Pools got past non-league Salford City in a replay shortly after December’s draw. This was the first time the clubs last faced one another in another FA Cup tie at the Victoria Park ground in November 1984.

The County Durham side had rumbled the Rams on that day and with the heavy rainfall upon the North of England throughout December and into the first week of January; ground staff worked around the clock to make sure that the heavily saturated pitch didn’t fall foul of the weather and in hope for the home side repeating the feat.

Clement who had won back to back FA Cups with Chelsea (as assistant to Guus Hiddink and his main mentor Carlo Ancelotti) before his emigration to France and Spain had bolstered his squad in the week leading up to this fixture, bringing in Guinean Abdoul Camara from Angers and Reading’s Nick Blackman into an already highly competitive squad whilst letting Jamaican international Simon Dawkins return to San Jose Earthquakes.

His new signings were amongst ten changes and resting a lot of heavyweights and regular first teams totally from the match day eighteen. There was also a debut for Hartlepool born goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell who has been the main understudy for the more experienced duo of Scott Carson and Lee Grant during this season. Returning to the starting eleven were a lot of experienced names, such as Jake Buxton who hadn’t played a first team game since getting a brace in February against Sheffield Wednesday, also returning was Craig Bryson after his recent hampering injuries. Chris Baird, Ryan Shotton, Alex Pearce and Jamie Hanson who have been regulars on the bench got their chance to impress the head coach.

In typical FA Cup fashion, the underdogs in Hartlepool threw everything they got at the largely untried and tested visitors however failed to force Mitchell into a first half save, despite making a quick start forcing an early corner which was headed over by Michael Woods.

The first real attempt of the first half fell on the nineteenth minute mark when ex-England striker Darren Bent saw his lashed shot pushed away by a fellow former Sunderland man Trevor Carson keeping goal for Pools.

Playing either side of Bent were the sprightly Camara and Blackman and the two new boys combined well but the former Reading forward saw his first of a few flurried attempts at goal blocked by a rigid defence as the home side weathered the Derby attacking storm keeping the score-line goalless at the half time whistle.

Half Time: Hartlepool United 0 Derby County 0

Derby shifted their formation at the start of the second half when live wire Johnny Russell was brought on in replacement of Jamie Hanson and the away side appeared livelier in their attacking presence as tender footed Camara gained confidence as his first appearance in a Rams shirt.

The Guinean nearly made it a dream start after striking the ball from distance but the crossbar denied him a debut goal and the energetic wide man attempted to turn provider but Blackman saw another drive blocked by Carson.

However it was the home side who broke the deadlock, after a short spell of pushing their opponents deep, it was the former Chelsea product Woods who broke through the Derby defence to cross for on loan Crystal Palace striker Jake Gray who stunningly volleyed past Mitchell.

The Derby head coach who admitted to making an erroneous substitution last week in a rare defeat at Middlesbrough, acted quickly to his side going behind by bringing Jacob Butterfield into the match to make amends for withdrawing the former Huddersfield Town creative midfielder in the previous match. The Bradford born 25 year old, made little time to seize his moment as he weaved past two Hartlepool defensive tackles before unleashing a low powerful effort to equalise with 23 minutes left to play.

Pools ‘keeper Carson was kept further busy as Derby’s ascendancy grew, Darrent bent denied from a close range diving header, Alex Pearce breaking forward shooting low but easily saved by the former Northern Irish under 21 international.

Nevertheless, a cross from the sparkling Camara was deflected across the box before lashed into the roof of the net by the experienced Bent squeezed the Championship outfit ahead for the first time in the match with a handful of minutes left in the tie.

Despite this the hosts threw their all to try and earn themselves a money spinning replay back at the iPro Stadium but were to be denied by the experienced backline of the East Midlands side.

Full Time: Hartlepool United 1 Derby County 2

This FA Cup match was a good demonstration of the squad that Paul Clement has his disposal, with only Stephen Warnock the only player starting likely to retain his place for the two home games in the coming days against Reading and Birmingham City.

Albeit there certainly was a lack of cohesion between the lacking in match fitness starters for Derby in this match which certainly gave entertainment and optimism to Ronnie Moore’s side who hadn’t played a competitive fixture since before Christmas, the quality of the £4 million gifted midfielder Jacob Butterfield and the new signings proved definitive for the Rams.

IMAGE - FRED GOUGH

I fully expect another lot of wholesale changes and it will take a little bit of bedding in time for Camara and Blackman to get to know their new team mates better, for the league games ahead of the next cup match which means the Preston North End fixture at the end of January will have to be rescheduled for later in the campaign however the Rams fans will be looking forward to seeing who they face in Monday’s fourth round draw.

Teams:

Hartlepool: Carson, Richards, Harrison, Jackson, Carroll, Featherstone (Bingham – 87), Woods, Gray (Walker – 80), Hawkins, Oates & Fenwick. Substitutes – Bartlett, Jones, Nearney, Oyenuga, Smith, Bingham & Walker.

DCFC – Mitchell, Shotton, Buxton, Pearce, Warnock, Baird, Hanson (Russell – 46), Bryson (Butterfield – 66), Blackman (Weimann – 76), Camara & Bent. Substitutes – Grant, Christie, Sswankambo, Bennett, Russell, Weimann & Butterfield.

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