Ferguson and Burton for Patterson and Onariase (illness) were the two changes from midweek as Pools came up against a Bromley 3-5-2 featuring two outright centre forwards. This did give Pools a numerical advantage in midfield in the first half, and they began to combine neatly in possession with Cooke drifting out towards the left-hand side, but the Bromley counter attack was a constant threat. This was the pattern of the game more-or-less established.
After half-time, the introduction of Umerah for the injured Crawford posed a greater threat to the three Bromley centre backs, who struggled with the combined presence of Dieseruvwe and Umerah, both of whom competed well aerially as Pools went direct. The nature of the third Bromley goal, a clinical execution of their numerical advantage on the break against the exposed Burton and Mattock, was a fair summary of how the match had played out to that point.
Burton's last start prior to his loan move had been away at Altrincham, also to the left of a back three, where the opposition had also left him alone in possession. Whether or not playing regular football has helped his confidence, he looked more eager to step forward this time, going all the way into the opposition penalty box more than once and committing defenders along the way. The overload created by Burton coming inside of Ferguson created space for Cooke to play in on the inside left, but the space vacated caused a whole load of problems without the ball as Pools were left ruthlessly exposed by the counter attack.
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