The Voice - Match preview Hartlepool United vs Bradford City Saturday 20 August @ 1:00pm

League Two Fixture #5

Saturday 20th August 13:00
Hartlepool United vs Bradford City
Victoria Park (AKA Suit Direct Stadium)

Most Recent Results:

1: Bradford City 0 – 0 Doncaster
2: Barrow 3 – 2 Bradford City
3: Bradford City 2 – 0 Newport County
4: Colchester United 1 – 0 Bradford City

1: Walsall 4 – 0 Hartlepool United
2: Hartlepool United 0 – 0 AFC Wimbledon
3: Northampton Town 2 – 1 Hartlepool United
4: Hartlepool United 0 – 0 Tranmere Rovers

Head-to-Head Results:

Head-to-Head Form: WLLDL

05 Oct 2010: Hartlepool United (McSweeney 69) 1 – 0 Bradford City [Johnstone's Paint Trophy]
09 Oct 2012: Hartlepool United 0 – 0 Bradford City [Johnstone's Paint Trophy]
03 Sep 2013: Hartlepool United (James 25, Franks 48, Burgess 56, Compton 59 (Pen), Rodney 87) 5 – 0 Bradford City [Johnstone's Paint Trophy]
19 Oct 2021: Bradford City (P. O'Connor 72) 1 – 3 (Cullen 1, 59, Songo'o 90 (OG)) Hartlepool United [League Two]
15 Mar 2022: Hartlepool United 0 – 2 (Foulds 70, Songo'o 76) Bradford City [League Two]

Head-to-Head Results (All Time):

Won: 34
Drawn: 21
Lost: 33

Biggest Margin of Victory:

03 Sep 2013: Hartlepool United 5 – 0 Bradford City [Johnstone's Paint Trophy]

Spoiler: Historic Results Analysis

While Bradford City and Hartlepool United have met only a handful of times in the past 15 years, Bradford City have had a largely miserable spell of results winning just 5 of their 16 encounters.

Between 2010-13, Bradford City were drawn away at Hartlepool United in the Johnstone's Paint Trophy three times, failing to win across 90 minutes in any of their encounters. Bradford City did defeat Hartlepool on penalties in the 2012 encounter 3-2, however, but this period also saw Hartlepool United inflict the widest margin of victory with a thumping 5-0 win. To add insult to injury, former City players Niall Rodney and Jack Compton both scored, while future City player Luke James started the rout.

The most dominant spell for either side throughout an evenly balanced history occurred between 1979 and 1991 when Bradford City defeated Hartlepool United in 9 of their 10 encounters, drawing the outstanding fixture.

Nonetheless, Bradford City boast the narrowest of winning margins across almost 100 years of history between the two sides, having bested Hartlepool 34 times, whilst losing another 33 encounters. Defeat on Saturday for City would level the 'all time' scores.

Hartlepool United 2021/22:

The 2021/22 season was Hartlepool United's first season back in League Two after spending 4 seasons in the National League.

Hartlepool United would finish 17th, scoring 44 goals and conceding 64 – their goal difference a dismal -20. Despite this, Hartlepool United found themselves just 4 points behind The Bantams, winning the same number of games (14).

Hartlepool United's top goalscorer across all competitions was midfielder Luke Molyneux (12), while on-loan winger Matty Daly would score 7 (although just 2 in league football). Beyond those individuals, Mark Cullen would bag 6, while David Ferguson, Omar Bogle and Nicky Featherstone would all net 5 times each.

Unsurprisingly, Luke Molyneux was Hartlepool United's most played individual with 55 appearances, while David Ferguson (52) and Neill Byrne (51) also topped half a century's worth of appearances.

While Matty Daly would only play half a season for Hartlepool United before making a January loan switch to Bradford City, other faces relevant to the City faithful include Timi Odusina (who has since joined Bradford City on a permanent transfer), and Luke Hendrie, who saw his contract at Victoria Park terminated in January, allowing him to switch to Valley Parade alongside Daly.

Former City players Mark Cullen and Garry Liddle also played for Hartlepool United in the 2021/22 season. Ex-City defender Graeme Lee was in charge for most of the season, although Hartlepool United failed to win any of their final 9 fixtures of the 2021/22 season and Lee duly lost his job on 5 May 2022.



Hartlepool United 2022/23:

Hartlepool United appointed Paul Hartley as their new manager on 3 June 2022, his first foray into English club management after cutting his teeth North of the border with Scottish outfits Alloa Athletic, Dundee, Falkirk, and most recently, Cove Rangers. Hartley's appointment came after the ex-Celtic midfielder guided Cove into the Scottish Championship, having joined them as a League Two club in 2019.

After 5 games in charge, however, Hartley's Hartlepool remain winless, having suffered two 4-0 defeats in their opening fixtures.

Unsurprisingly, Hartley has moved to sign several Scottish-based players including centre back Euan Murray, right back Reghan Tumilty, midfielder Mouhamed Niang from Partick Thistle, former Celtic left back Brody Paterson, loan forward Jack Hamilton from Livingston, and former Rangers winger Jake Hastie. Ex-Bradford City attacking midfielder Callum Cooke made the switch to Victoria Park after being released by Mark Hughes, and joins non-league stand outs Alex Lacey (Notts County), Mohamed Syllah (Aldershot) and Josh Umerah (Wealdstone) – as well as Morecambe winger Wes McDonald and Mikael Ndjoli from US side Virginia Beach.

Spoiler: Hartlepool United Statistics

Hartlepool United have scored just 1 goal this season, with Josh Umerah opening his account in the 2-1 defeat at Northampton Town.

Defensively, performances have been more promising, with consecutive clean sheets in both home outings this year – something Bradford City will have to overcome on Saturday if they are to return from the North East happy.

In terms of possession, Hartlepool United have been extremely competitive this season, ranging from 47-56 % possession across all four league games. In terms of chance creation, Hartlepool have struggled, out-shooting just one opponent – AFC Wimbledon at home, and having draw a blank in front of goal in three of their four league fixtures.

Bradford City 2022/23:

Bradford City have had a better start than winless Hartlepool United, although losing both away fixtures so far this season to last gasp goals will sting.

Bradford City will once again take confidence from the fact they have enjoyed a vastly superior possession percentage once again against Colchester United – as high as 61 %. This possession has not, however, lent itself to higher chance creation (both sides had 14 efforts on goal) or significantly superior defensive statistics (Bradford City were forced to make 47 clearances, as opposed to Colchester's 44), implying that the games are much closer than the possession statistic indicates.

Naturally, passing statistics coming out of the Colchester United game were once again very impressive, although Matty Platt's pass completion ratio uncharacteristically dipped under 80 % - the worst of a defensive quartet in which Romoney Crichlow's statistics stand out yet again (93 % pass completion).

The Colchester United defeat highlighted a potentially significant issue for Bradford City. Their six most prolific passers were the back four and the two defensive midfielders. Of the attacking quintet, only Scott Banks managed higher than 27 passes (achieving a 76 % accuracy statistic from 45 passes).

Banks aside, it was a quiet evening for City's forwards, and that is also reflected by the fact Banks had most shots (2), and put in most tackles (4).

Vadaine Oliver continues to seek his first goal in a Bradford City shirt, while Lee Angol is yet to get off the mark. This could be a concern for Mark Hughes, who appears to have earmarked Oliver and Angol as his primary forwards at the start of the season. Instead, Andy Cook and Jake Young, who have started just one league game each, have got off the mark early, with Richie Smallwood and Harry Chapman also contributing a goal each.

Outlook:

Bradford City have yet to pick up a point away from home, while Hartlepool United have yet to win a game of any kind. Hartlepool's two 0-0 home results will be a potential indicator to City fans of what to expect at Victoria Park, although Bradford City have managed to score in the majority of their fixtures – and will feel aggrieved not to have defeated Doncaster in the season's opener.

Bradford City have not been out-performed in any of their league games this season, although a worrying trend of conceding in the 90th minute away from home will ensure City fans are glued to their seats in the event of another close encounter in the North East.

Bradford City have been installed as favourites despite being the away side (and despite having not picked up a point on their travels), which is likely an indicator of the levels of confidence in Paul Hartley's early season strugglers.

Failure to win at Victoria Park will compound City's sense of away day blues, piling additional pressure on to their next four fixtures – all at home.

Odds:

12/5: Hartlepool United
12/5: Draw
23/20: Bradford City

Predicted Outcome (Sportsmole):

Hartlepool United 0 – 1 Bradford City