Pools denied by 10-man U's
Last Updated: March 5, 2013 10:42pm
Jabo Ibehre: Sent off
Colchester's 10 men held on for a 0-0 draw at Hartlepool to dent the home side's hopes of staving off relegation from League One.
Pools needed to win at Victoria Park on Tuesday night to close the eight-point gap between the teams at the foot of the table.
But they were unable to find a breakthrough, despite the U's being reduced to ten men after 43 minutes when Jabo Ibehre was red-carded for a lunge on defender Neil Austin.
After James Poole hooked a sixth-minute volley wide, John Hughes's troops had all the possession without forcing a goal.
They spent the second period camped in the visitors' half, but a massed and organised defensive unit proved impregnable.
The closest Hartlepool came was after 70 minutes when Poole's dipping 20-yard volley hit the crossbar and, when the ball rebounded substitute Nathan Luscombe sent a diving header wide.
Charlie Wyke latched on to a teasing Evan Horwood cross, but Colchester keeper Sam Walker saved with his legs and, amid a frantic scramble, defender Bradley Garmston seemed to clear with his hand, but referee Geoff Eltringham waved play on.
Matches
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npower League 1
Table
npower League 1
| Pos | Team | P | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Doncaster Rovers | 46 | 84 |
| 2 | Bournemouth | 46 | 83 |
| 3 | Brentford | 46 | 79 |
| 4 | Yeovil Town | 46 | 77 |
| 5 | Sheffield United | 46 | 75 |
| 6 | Swindon Town | 46 | 74 |
| 7 | Leyton Orient | 46 | 71 |
| 8 | Milton Keynes Dons | 46 | 70 |
| 9 | Walsall | 46 | 68 |
| 10 | Crawley Town | 46 | 68 |
| 11 | Tranmere Rovers | 46 | 67 |
| 12 | Notts County | 46 | 65 |
| 13 | Crewe Alexandra | 46 | 64 |
| 14 | Preston North End | 46 | 59 |
| 15 | Coventry City | 46 | 55 |
| 16 | Shrewsbury Town | 46 | 55 |
| 17 | Carlisle United | 46 | 55 |
| 18 | Stevenage | 46 | 54 |
| 19 | Oldham Athletic | 46 | 51 |
| 20 | Colchester United | 46 | 51 |
| 21 | Scunthorpe United | 46 | 48 |
| 22 | Bury | 46 | 41 |
| 23 | Hartlepool United | 46 | 41 |
| 24 | Portsmouth | 46 | 32 |
