Hartlepool United 2 Exeter City 0.

Saturday 10 November 2001.

Referee: R D Furnandiz

Att: 3222 with 70 City fans

NEIL LE MILLIERE of the London Exiles reports on the,
DAY OUT AT HARTLEPOOL

This proved to be an excellent day out with Roger Pyne and Swanny travelling from London on the 06:15 from Kings Cross - which meant getting up at 05:00! We got to Hartlepool in time to wander down to the new quay area before settling into our favourite pub, the Royal, for pints and pool. We met our Yorkshire Grecians there, Steve Chown and his Dad.

Excellent turnout at the game, my count being 73, and a credit to the travelling Exeter City support as usual. The Morgan's were there of course and also Adrian Autton from London who was there with his Leeds mate as usual. Also a good turn out from the coach, plus a clutch of scouts. I wonder who they were watching? The result may have been the same as on Saturday but what a difference. Last season Ken Furphy was "technical director", Blakey played himself and we didn't have a single shot or corner. This season we played as a more as a team and deserved better. Glenn Cronin, Paul Buckle and Christian Roberts all went close. Good performance. Cronin and Barlow played well in midfield and Barry McConnell was fantastic going forward. Alex Watson was great on one to one's. Shame about the result but if we keep playing this well we should be okay. Steve Chown's tip is still - as it was at the beginning of the season - Macclesfield Town for the drop.

Following the game and yes, City's best performance for weeks, yet no result, losing 2-0. Typical though, as Gordon Watson's goal for Hartlepool was one of the best you are likely to see all season. We then retired to an excellent pub down in the new quay area for the England game which was, truth be told, a little drab after the preceding game. Then it was back off for London for the Exiles, via Newcastle. It was a bit of a tight connection at Newcastle as we were late getting in (Where had those two ladies been Swanny? Was it ballet or something?) and we had less than two minutes to change platforms for the GNER train. Interesting journey back with none of us going to sleep, instead drinking Nimmos and chewing over the game, before being joined by three Oxford United fans who proved to be such excellent company that we then invited them to join us for a curry at Kings Cross which was superb as well. I finally made it home at about 23:30..... Now that's what I call a DAY out."