.
No social distancing, and no chance of an upset as Hartlepool United see off Ilkeston Town 
NICK LOUGHLIN ON HARTLEPOOL UNITED'S 6-0 WIN ON SATURDAY 

Ilkeston v Hartlepool United

Football without fans is nothing. Football with some fans, listed as socially distant ones at that, is at least something. Pools went to Ilkeston Town in the FA Cup. There’s still something uneasy about Hartlepool United being in the qualifying round of the competition, but that’s where the club is now. So while three divisions separated the teams, there was also a six-goal difference in the end. And while the likes of Tamworth and Frickley Athletic still bring out a cold sweat when mentioned, Ilkeston were dispatched with ease. The same ease Danny Wilson’s side saw off Gainsborough Trinity by the same scoreline in November 2007.Pools’ two biggest away victories have both been recorded in the FA Cup.

Hartlepool United celebrate scoring on Saturday

The home side were allowed to sell 400 tickets for the game, away fans not permitted. Some 3,000 would be the maximum capacity for the New Manor Ground in normal circumstances. Supporters were encouraged to scan the NHS app on entry. So if one person in the ground was to test positive in the coming days would everyone in attendance be asked to self-isolate? The seats in the main stand were there to be used, one steward trying to direct people apart and away from others, but it seemed people sat where they wanted with who they wanted. On the terraces – and there was a disappointing lack of a tin foil FA Cup, a mini inflatable version behind the goal was a mere substitute – fans were stood together in the same manner they would be if there was a full house. Policing or stewarding social distancing? No hope.

The Pools fans were watching on the BBC, website, laptop or red button. The cameras were there for a potential shock – while also probably securing decent viewing figures for this stage of the competition with Poolies at home. There really is no reason, on this experience, why Pools can’t get 1,500 fans inside the Vic. Or why clubs can’t have a percentage of fans inside their grounds. After all, you van sit in the cinema and watch a Premier League game can’t you….



Six minutes in, weather teaming down, and Luke Molyneux dinked and spun the ball home from an angle, picked out by Joe Grey. On his first start the youngster then tapped home two minutes later to become Pools’ youngest ever FA Cup scorer at 17 and 159 days. It was game over after six minutes, although at half-time, BBC Tees commentator Rob Law (and Pools were three up at this point) wondered if Pools still had a job to do second-half. Not a chance. Maybe the rain driving into us in the side of the stand was affecting his thought process….All Pools could do was remain as professional as they were from the off, keep those standards, maintain the effort. They were too strong and too quick for the part-time opposition, who were clearly deflated after just six minutes. They included Joe Maguire at the back, brother of the Manchester United captain. He has the same build, same looks and played like his sibling recently did at Old Trafford against Spurs.

Grey was full of energy and running, his pass to Molyneux for the opener was as sublime as the finish. There was also a goal for Tom Crawford, who impressed with his energy and drive and showed he can fit seamlessly into Dave Challinor’s midfield three. Mason Bloomfield got off the mark when he cracked home after being picked out by Josh McDonald. The son of one-time Pool’s striker Garry – remember his stooping header against Stockport at the Vic in the February 1990 game Paul Baker scored four (including the most divine of overhead kicks)? – then set up David Parkhouse with a fine charging run from deep. The striker’s finish pinballing around the goal after cracking off the post. Gavan Holohan then followed up his Maidenhead goal with another belter. That’s ten goals in two away games for the boys in yellow, three away wins in a row.