CITY 1 HARTLEPOOL 3

Unbelievable Jeff? Sadly not for seasoned City watchers as Hartlepool broke their away-day drought at Valley Parade last night.

Jeff Stelling would have loved it as the visitors claimed their first win on the road since returning to the EFL – and scored a first away goal for eight hours in the process.

Hartlepool arrived in West Yorkshire with just one away point to their name and had failed to hit the net in their last five trips.

City had been unbeaten at Valley Parade – no prizes for guessing what happened next.

Derek Adams spoke about the past having no relevance but there were ghosts of previous home horrors against the likes of Accrington, Stockport and Aldershot as the boos rang out at the final whistle.

It was an awful night as City never got over conceding in the first minute.

Adams had kept faith with Saturday’s team – the only change being the enforced one as Matty Foulds was handed his first league start for the injured Liam Ridehalgh.

Hartlepool’s side included two former Bantam loanees – Luke Hendrie, who needed no introduction, and Mark Cullen making his first start for the club.

More than 700 travelling fans had come down from the north-east for their first visit to Valley Parade in 16 years.

It made for a lively atmosphere from the off – and the Pools support were celebrating from their first attack.

Gavin Holohan found too much space in the box and his cross-shot was only parried by Richard O’Donnell, allowing Cullen to sweep home the rebound despite frantic efforts on the line.

It was exactly eight hours since Hartlepool’s last league away strike – and a nightmare start for the Bantams.

As the buoyant travelling army led the noise, Callum Cooke jabbed wide after Alex Gilliead opted not to take the shot. But that early blow had rattled City.

O’Donnell’s sliced clearance out of play drew groans from the crowd and there were more grumbles at a loose pass from Elliot Watt – Adams’ mantra about “blocking out the outside noise” was being tested.

Cooke tried to drive City forward but there was a nervousness about the home side. Passes were going astray or under-hit.

Instead, it was Hartlepool who threatened again as Holohan peeled off unmarked to collect a Hendrie ball over the top but shot straight at O’Donnell.

A better passage of play from City saw Gilliead scuff a shot well wide. “How XXXX must you be, we’re winning away” taunted the Hartlepool section.

Levi Sutton swung and missed with one effort before zipping another across goal.

But it was Hartlepool who were a whisker away from doubling their advantage as Luke Molyneux was played clear on the right and bent a shot beyond O’Donnell and past the far post.

The place would have turned toxic with a second goal – the only noise was coming from the Midland Road stand as City continued to stumble.

Their best hope came in a melee from Cooke’s in-swinging free-kick before keeper Ben Killip got the benefit of the doubt with a foul as both centre halves challenged.

Charles Vernam then had two bites at the cherry, squeezing off a low shot that Killip smothered to his right.

It was marginally better as Yann Songo’o glanced a header wide but City could not complain at the boos that heralded the half-time whistle.

The North West Corner increased the volume on the resumption as the Bantams forced a couple of corners. But Oscar Threlkeld blazed high into the Kop as the pressure came to nothing.

It then got even worse as Cullen doubled his tally on the hour, nodding home Jamie Sterry’s cross from inside the six-yard box.

Boos reverberated around Valley Parade, barring the jubilant corner of Midland Road, as Adams reacted with a double sub and threw on Caolan Lavery.

Tempers were frayed as City desperately attempted any kind of response without really offering anything. Hartlepool, meanwhile, were having a party.

Cullen went off on 70 minutes – and two minutes later the Bantams were suddenly thrown a lifeline as Paudie O’Connor headed in from a Cooke corner.

Theo Robinson was added to the mix for a gung-ho effort and Levi Sutton almost caught out Killip with a cheeky attempt from the halfway line.

But Hartlepool sealed their well-earned win with City’s helping hand as Songo’o diverted Reagan Ogle’s cross into his own net.

CITY: O’Donnell 5, Threlkeld 5 (Cousin-Dawson 61min), Songo’o 5, O’Connor 5, Foulds 5, Watt 4 (Robinson 77min), Sutton 5, Gilliead 4 (Lavery 61min), Cooke 6, Vernam 5, Cook 5. Subs (not used): Canavan, Evans, Kelleher, Scales.

HARTLEPOOL: Killip 6, Hendrie 7, Byrne 7, Sterry 7, Holohan 7 (Fondop 85min), Daly 6, Featherstone 7, Ferguson 6, Shelton 7, Molyneux 7 (Ogle 89min), Cullen 8 (Grey 70min). Subs (not used): Odusina, Jones, Crawford, Mitchell.