Hartlepool United v Bradford City ended with trouble as fans took fight, a female steward was assaulted, and police had to use batons.
There are some truly shocking eyewitness accounts coming out following the Bantams’ 2-0 win which dented the Pools’ League Two playoff hopes on Tuesday night.
Two Callum Cooke goals in six second-half minutes secured back-to-back wins – and a first victory for new manager Mark Hughes.
Matty Foulds’ opener arrived in the 70th minute before defender Yan Songo’o flicked in a crucial second shortly afterwards to inflict the first home league defeat on Graeme Lee since he took over as Pools boss in December.
This was former Premier League boss Mark Hughes’ night as he was able to follow up the Bantams’ weekend win over leaders Forest Green with another three points at the Suit Direct Stadium.
Hartlepool had the best first-half chance in this mid-table tussle when striker Marcus Carver was denied with just goalkeeper Alex Bass to beat.
Luke Molyneux also had a couple of efforts saved by Bass after the restart, while Joe White curled a 25-yard effort against the crossbar for the home side.
But Bradford showed Hartlepool how to find the net with 20 minutes remaining when Callum Cooke’s fine run teed up Foulds to pick out the bottom corner of Ben Killip’s net.
And Songo’o made sure of the points six minutes later when he forced a corner over the line in a crowded area.
Hartlepool boss Graeme Lee was left ‘spinning’ after Hartlepool United’s defeat to Bradford City.
He said: “My head is spinning for the goal.”
“I just feel there were too many errors that could have affected what shouldn’t have happened. We could have dealt with it.
“We get back, and get in the position, so just go safe and go back and we end up trying to flick it around the corner and they end up hitting us on the counter-attack.
“I’ll have to watch it again. I don’t know if we can make a clever foul and break up play, but then I still feel as though we get bodies back but it still manages to go in.
“The goal we conceded changed the reflection of the game. The performance up until that point was good.
“First half I thought we created the two best chances of the game with Carver.
“He gets put clean through and probably takes it too early and then the second one he gets across the near post which we wanted him to do, we’d done it in training, but he just doesn’t get the contact he wanted and doesn’t hit the target.
“But they’re two big chances in the game and could have impacted the game. It’s what you work for and you’ve got to put it away.
“The game was there. I was happy. I was pleased with the performance.
“But the goal does it and those five minutes for the second goal. We actually showed them, I don’t know how many times, about a near post corner and making sure no-one gets across the near post man but it happens.
“So my head is spinning because them two goals are unacceptable.”
Mark Hughes said his Bradford City side got what they deserved: “I thought we managed the game from start to finish really well.
“We were the away side. You would expect the home side to create chances, but they did not really.
“As far as away performances go, it was as good as we could have imagined before the game.
“We deserved to win the game, and got what we deserved.
“It was a great second half. Scoring at that end was brilliant, and I think the fans sucked the second goal in.”
📺 REACTION | Hear from Mark Hughes – who was again pleased to be able to send City’s travelling supporters home happy – following last night’s victory…
➡️ | Watch – IN FULL: https://t.co/nNCzbEUzSF#BCAFC | #TakeMeHome | @fuelhubuk pic.twitter.com/iUNHxihBGQ
— Bradford City AFC (@officialbantams) March 16, 2022
As mentioned, there was trouble that broke out during and after the Hartlepool v Bradford game with fans having a fight, steward assaulted, a police having to use batons.
A spokeswoman for Cleveland Police confirmed they arrested three people:
- A 31-year-old male from Bradford was arrested on suspicion of assault and he remains in custody after an alleged incident in Morrisons car park.
- A 29-year-old male from Bradford was arrested on suspicion of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and he remains in police custody after an alleged incident inside the ground.
- A 31-year-old man from Bradford has been charged with a public order offence and is due to appear at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on April 7 after an alleged incident in The Corner Flag Pub.
Sergeant Adrian Dack from Cleveland Police Football Unit, said: “There were pockets of disorder and unacceptable behaviour from a minority of both sets of fans prior to, during and following last night’s match.
“Officers were threatened and some grown adults and teenagers thought it was acceptable to throw objects including concrete and glass bottles at police, and some peopled carried sticks with nails embedded.
“One man suffered injuries inside the ground which required overnight hospital treatment. I strongly believe that without the invaluable assistance of our police dogs, officers would have also been physically injured at the match last night.
“Rest assured that enquiries are ongoing with the full support of Hartlepool United FC to identify those believed to be involved in the disorder yesterday evening. We won’t tolerate this type of behaviour at any football game.”
This is what is being said on social media…
@Boffyyy: @ClePolFootball Just want to know why 10 police officers we’re stood behind the corner flag pub doing nothing when a steward was getting pummelled by the away fans and they done nothing. But least you got the important footage recording the home fans 👍🏻. #joke
@Jack__Wood: Hang your head in shame, steward getting stamped on and all you done was record the home fans
@ClePolFootball
@durhamchris1983: @ClePolFootball absolutely embarrassing behaviour by your officers at the Pools game. Getting the run around by kids so you decide to charge in with batons & dogs at innocent people including my Dad who can barely walk & is 63 year old. Absolutely shameful power crazy idiots.
@Jakerich18: You lot should be fucking embarrassed @ClePolFootball , the steward you blatantly let take a beating deserves to sue every single one of you… pricks👍🏻
Mark Anthony Weldrake: I used to love all the agro back in the day, so this is a bit hypocritical, but it was always done out of the way. Tonight was a joke, innocent kids, disabled and women was there coming through tonight and that behaviour in front of all them was a bit bang out of order like. Poeples cars was getting damaged but they couldnt pull away because everyone was boxed in and police didnt help at all.
Trouble after the game #bcafc pic.twitter.com/pfFPmcnRAO
— Braysoj1 Bradford City Vlogs (@braysoj1) March 16, 2022
@ThorntonCraig: Any one tell me what @ClevelandPolice. @ClePolFootball get paid to do? Scummy force stood watching a steward get stamped on! Fucking rats
@olliemole94:
Imagine pools fans stamping On a steward in away end
Imagine pools fans flinging pyro on the pitch
Yet Cleveland police still manage to video pools fans all game! Great work you corrupt fucks
Ashleigh Green: So last night, the little rats who were throwing rocks towards the away fans forget to remember there was still polls fans cutting through there trying to get round the police vans to the car park! Absolutely pathetic, vile behaviour from pools fans (majority of them being kids just wanting to cause trouble), peoples cars have been damaged, if this was you, then you should be ashamed
Pamela Boagey: Bloody shocking, let’s hope whoever it is gets banned from going to the games, no need whatsoever. these are certainly not true fans to behave like this
Ethan Maxwell: hope that steward has a speedy recovery after what them scruffy cunts from bradford done to him, had to get a police escort out of hartlepool the whoppers
Janet Marie Alton: Speedy recovery to the stewards, it’s shocking to hear whats gone on. They want them banned from football the animals
Claire McMurdo Cook: Absolutely disgusting scenes tonight, so called fans be ashamed. My 74 year old Dad’s car was badly damaged by 2 bricks as he drive away from the ground. Thrown by Pools fans. Fuming.
Jim McMurdo: Police were an absolute joke tonight in the handling of so called hufc supporters at the end of the game. Bradford fans should have been locked in for 10 minutes after the game whilst home fans left safely and the so called morons of fans throwing bricks and missiles were dispersed. The closing of Clarence wants to be looked at, there was problems for the past 40 years now, its a problem for all motorists doing uturns etc when dropping off and picking up. That was badly organised tonight although the police took some good videos.
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Christopher Hackworth: Police were out of control after the game. Genuinely power hungry out of control. Very dangerous.
Leanne Mason: Worst set of fans Ive ever known to visit. Absolutely vile, setting upon a security man, throwing punches and kicks to the head, whilst down on the floor, whilst police strolled along. Another punched a 15 year old kid in the face for singing a pools song on way to the match. I am in shock.
@DylanBRyder_: tell ya what those bradford fans in the away end at hartlepool tonight were a pack of fucking mongs
@mike_snowdon11: Bradford City fans are rotten and so are that pathetic excuse of a police force who done fuck all again. Disgusting
@arydercockhorse: What a difference in fans, Hartlepool took 900 fans to Bradford, have a great day with no bother. Roles reversed and Bradford acted like complete dickheads… proud to be a Poolie 🔵⚪️ #HUFC #BCAFC
@thebantams1903: Yet outside the away end & club car park area of the stadium last night what I saw was Hartlepool fans fighting with police as well as throwing bricks & bottles about. Obviously you probably think it was those “Bradford compleat dickheads” to blame for that though? #bcafc
@Petertheoilrig: Well last night after that lovely win!! I seen a Hartlepool fan get nutted out cold, I seen another Hartlepool fan get battened round head by police in another incident, I seen about 200 of them run around to away end to fight & I seen a lovely man in mark hughes top night #bcafc
@FoxMulder3006: Absolutely disgraceful behaviour. Ban every single one of them. Nothing but thugs.
Rory Osbourne: cant believe what i saw coming out of the ground last night, police everywhere, car windows smashed, even more shocked to hear about the steward getting hurt
Derek Oatway: Horrified at how mindless hooligans can get, hurting innocent people not looking to fight, damaging vehicles, clashing with cops, fuck off elsewhere and fight
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