League Two duel: Close contest expected between Walsall and Hartlepool United

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Competition: England League Two
Competition: Sat 26.February
Match begins: 15:00 (UTC)
Venue: The Banks's Stadium (11300 seats)

17th- against 12th place might not sound all that steamy. But look: Here's the facts that makes Walsall - Hartlepool United (even) more interesting!

Insights:
  • Walsall have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.
  • Hartlepool United have the fewest dropped points from leading position (5) in League Two

It’s busy days for these teams as both were in action only a few days ago. There’s no rest for the wicked, or in this case; no rest for Walsall and Hartlepool United.

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Walsall form and stats

5-5-6 (win-draw-lost) are the League Two numbers at home for Walsall so far this season.

Walsall are hoping to put things right at home after a defeat in their previous match, the score 0-5 away versus Swindon Town. Midfielder Kinsella was the best player on the team with a rating of 6.94 (out of ten) in that game. Kinsella hit one key pass.

In the preceding match a 1-0 victory visiting Forest Green Rovers.

This is expected to be a close game, with Walsall perhaps considered small favourites due to their home advantage. Looking back at earlier matches similar to this one (expected to be close with Walsall as a small favourite), we find eleven games. Walsall has won one of these, drawn three and lost seven.

There's a new game coming up fairly quickly for Walsall as they are travelling to their away game against Northampton Town in the League Two. That match is three days after this one.

Walsall has scored 21 league goals at home this season, in 16 matches. It's been trouble in front of goal recently, as only 2 of these goals has been scored in their last three home matches. On the other hand, Walsall have conceded 22 goals.

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Hartlepool United form and stats

There's been little loot from Hartlepool United's travels as they have only collected 12 points from 16 away games in the League Two. Hartlepool United only have 3 wins to counter their 10 defeats and 3 draws. Hartlepool United love their trips these days, as their two previous away games have resulted in victories.

Hartlepool United play their second away game in a row, but can be confident going into this one after the 2-1 victory visiting Colchester United (placed 21st). Midfielder Shelton was the best performer of that match, with a rating of 7.64. Shelton hit four key passes.

Ahead of that game was the 1-1 draw at home against Sutton United.

As mentioned above, this is an open game with no clear favourite. We have found seven similar matches played by Hartlepool United in our archives, and the results are: two wins for Hartlepool United, two draws and three defeats.

Many goals are not expected from the visiting Hartlepool as they have only managed to score 11 times from 16 away games in the league. Defensive performances away have varied in quality as Hartlepool United have conceded 26 goals on the road. For more goal statistics, check out the Statistics tab above. There's been improvement defensively lately, as only 1 of these goals has been conceded in their last three away matches.

Head 2 Head

The former head-to-head encounter ended Hartlepool United - Walsall 2-0, earlier this season. Head to head data (for the last ten meetings): Walsall won two games, five matches ended in a draw and Hartlepool United have three wins. Over 2,5 goals / under 2,5 goals: five / five

Top Goalscorers

WalsallG. Miller
G. Miller
9 goals
WalsallC. Wilkinson
C. Wilkinson
5 goals
Hartlepool UnitedL. Molyneux
L. Molyneux
5 goals

Walsall missing players

Hartlepool United missing players

Total First Half Second Half
Walsall Hartlepool United
Total Home vs mid Statistics Stat vs low Away Total
32 16 6 Played P 6 16 32
9 5 1 Won W 1 3 12
8 5 2 Drew D 2 3 8
15 6 3 Lost L 3 10 12
32 21 6 Scored S 4 11 33
44 22 9 Conceded C 11 26 40
94% 94% 83% Over 0.5 O 0.5 67% 81% 84%
62% 75% 83% Over 1.5 O 1.5 67% 62% 66%
44% 56% 67% Over 2.5 O 2.5 50% 38% 41%
28% 31% 17% Over 3.5 O 3.5 33% 31% 25%
6% 6% 0% Over 4.5 O 4.5 33% 19% 12%
47% 62% 83% BTTS BTTS 33% 31% 47%
25% 25% 17% Clean Sheets C S 33% 25% 31%
34% 19% 17% Failed to Score F T 67% 62% 38%
 
4.8 5 3.8 Corners for (avg) C F 2.8 3.9 4.3
4.3 4.2 3.8 Corners against (avg) C A 3.8 5.5 4.2
1.7 1.8 2.2 Yellow cards (avg) Y C 1.5 1.6 1.4
2 1 0 Red cards R C 0 2 3
 
11.1 11.9 13.3 Shots (avg) S ( 9.2 8.5 10
3.5 4.3 4.8 Shots on Target (avg) S O 2.8 2.8 3.2
28% 30% 21% Goal Efficiency G E 24% 25% 32%
 
10.8 10.4 9.3 Shots against (avg) S A 11.3 13.5 11.6
3.4 3.4 3 Shots on Target against (avg) S O 4.5 4.2 3.7
Key stats in League Two this season:
  • Hartlepool United have conceded at least twice as many goals as they have scored away.
  • Hartlepool United have the fewest dropped points from leading position (5) in League Two
  • Hartlepool United have the most points from losing position (17) in League Two
  • Walsall have played more matches over 2,5 goals home than away.

  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Forest Green Rovers 31 19 9 3 61 25 16 11 2 3 27 11 15 8 7 0 34 14 36 66
2 Northampton Town 32 16 8 8 38 25 16 10 2 4 22 10 16 6 6 4 16 15 13 56
3 Tranmere Rovers 33 16 8 9 34 23 17 12 1 4 24 11 16 4 7 5 10 12 11 56
4 Exeter City 30 14 11 5 45 30 15 8 5 2 24 14 15 6 6 3 21 16 15 53
5 Swindon Town 32 14 10 8 54 38 16 5 7 4 26 17 16 9 3 4 28 21 16 52
6 Sutton United 32 14 9 9 46 38 16 9 4 3 24 14 16 5 5 6 22 24 8 51
7 Mansfield Town 30 14 8 8 40 33 17 11 3 3 29 18 13 3 5 5 11 15 7 50
8 Newport County 32 13 10 9 50 42 15 7 5 3 30 18 17 6 5 6 20 24 8 49
9 Bristol Rovers 31 13 8 10 44 39 15 8 2 5 22 18 16 5 6 5 22 21 5 47
10 Port Vale 30 12 10 8 43 31 15 6 5 4 19 13 15 6 5 4 24 18 12 46
11 Salford City 31 12 8 11 35 29 15 6 6 3 17 12 16 6 2 8 18 17 6 44
12 Hartlepool United 32 12 8 12 33 40 16 9 5 2 22 14 16 3 3 10 11 26 -7 44
13 Harrogate Town 31 11 8 12 50 49 15 5 5 5 24 21 16 6 3 7 26 28 1 41
14 Bradford City 33 9 13 11 37 41 16 4 8 4 22 21 17 5 5 7 15 20 -4 40
15 Crawley Town 30 11 7 12 37 41 14 4 4 6 17 21 16 7 3 6 20 20 -4 40
16 Rochdale 30 7 14 9 38 40 14 3 8 3 18 16 16 4 6 6 20 24 -2 35
17 Walsall 32 9 8 15 32 44 16 5 5 6 21 22 16 4 3 9 11 22 -12 35
18 Leyton Orient 30 7 12 11 38 31 16 6 4 6 24 13 14 1 8 5 14 18 7 33
19 Stevenage 33 7 12 14 30 50 17 6 6 5 21 23 16 1 6 9 9 27 -20 33
20 Barrow 31 7 10 14 30 39 16 3 7 6 16 20 15 4 3 8 14 19 -9 31
21 Colchester United 32 7 10 15 29 46 15 3 6 6 15 20 17 4 4 9 14 26 -17 31
22 Oldham Athletic 30 7 8 15 30 46 15 4 3 8 20 26 15 3 5 7 10 20 -16 29
23 Carlisle United 31 6 10 15 23 45 16 3 7 6 10 18 15 3 3 9 13 27 -22 28
24 Scunthorpe United 33 4 11 18 23 55 17 3 5 9 12 23 16 1 6 9 11 32 -32 23

Walsall:
England:
Table
  Total Home Away  
# Team MP W D L F A MP W D L F A MP W D L F A +/- P
1 Forest Green Rovers 31 19 9 3 61 25 16 11 2 3 27 11 15 8 7 0 34 14 36 66
2 Northampton Town 32 16 8 8 38 25 16 10 2 4 22 10 16 6 6 4 16 15 13 56
3 Tranmere Rovers 33 16 8 9 34 23 17 12 1 4 24 11 16 4 7 5 10 12 11 56
4 Exeter City 30 14 11 5 45 30 15 8 5 2 24 14 15 6 6 3 21 16 15 53
5 Swindon Town 32 14 10 8 54 38 16 5 7 4 26 17 16 9 3 4 28 21 16 52
6 Sutton United 32 14 9 9 46 38 16 9 4 3 24 14 16 5 5 6 22 24 8 51
7 Mansfield Town 30 14 8 8 40 33 17 11 3 3 29 18 13 3 5 5 11 15 7 50
8 Newport County 32 13 10 9 50 42 15 7 5 3 30 18 17 6 5 6 20 24 8 49
9 Bristol Rovers 31 13 8 10 44 39 15 8 2 5 22 18 16 5 6 5 22 21 5 47
10 Port Vale 30 12 10 8 43 31 15 6 5 4 19 13 15 6 5 4 24 18 12 46
11 Salford City 31 12 8 11 35 29 15 6 6 3 17 12 16 6 2 8 18 17 6 44
12 Hartlepool United 32 12 8 12 33 40 16 9 5 2 22 14 16 3 3 10 11 26 -7 44
13 Harrogate Town 31 11 8 12 50 49 15 5 5 5 24 21 16 6 3 7 26 28 1 41
14 Bradford City 33 9 13 11 37 41 16 4 8 4 22 21 17 5 5 7 15 20 -4 40
15 Crawley Town 30 11 7 12 37 41 14 4 4 6 17 21 16 7 3 6 20 20 -4 40
16 Rochdale 30 7 14 9 38 40 14 3 8 3 18 16 16 4 6 6 20 24 -2 35
17 Walsall 32 9 8 15 32 44 16 5 5 6 21 22 16 4 3 9 11 22 -12 35
18 Leyton Orient 30 7 12 11 38 31 16 6 4 6 24 13 14 1 8 5 14 18 7 33
19 Stevenage 33 7 12 14 30 50 17 6 6 5 21 23 16 1 6 9 9 27 -20 33
20 Barrow 31 7 10 14 30 39 16 3 7 6 16 20 15 4 3 8 14 19 -9 31
21 Colchester United 32 7 10 15 29 46 15 3 6 6 15 20 17 4 4 9 14 26 -17 31
22 Oldham Athletic 30 7 8 15 30 46 15 4 3 8 20 26 15 3 5 7 10 20 -16 29
23 Carlisle United 31 6 10 15 23 45 16 3 7 6 10 18 15 3 3 9 13 27 -22 28
24 Scunthorpe United 33 4 11 18 23 55 17 3 5 9 12 23 16 1 6 9 11 32 -32 23

More from England - League Two

Read more about League Two

The English Football League Two (usually referred to as League Two) is the fourth highest division in English football. The League Two league table has 24 teams playing each other home and away for a total of 552 fixtures. Seasons run from August to May. Four teams are promoted and four relegated.