31/05/2026
Today FC Hartlepool Rockets welcomed Marton Yellows for what turned out to be an excellent game of football.
Marton started on the front foot and it wasn't long before they tested Reilly, who was equal to the challenge with a couple of fine saves.
Rockets' first opportunity came when Junior played a forward ball into Frankie, who managed to get a shot away. Marton continued to apply pressure and eventually took the lead. Despite some excellent defending from River, who put in a number of strong tackles and blocks, and Hector, who was solid throughout, Marton doubled their advantage to make it 2-0.
Jaron was proving a real handful down the left, taking on his man and firing shots just wide, while Theo was a constant threat on the right with some tidy footwork. Frankie's relentless running also kept the Marton defence busy.
Demi, Ezrai, Ralph and Billy entered the game and made an immediate impact. A good defensive block and pass set Demi away on a Rockets attack. Theo was then released by some strong defensive play but saw his effort drift wide.
Rockets were now on top. Billy broke up play well and found Frankie, whose effort narrowly missed the target. More good defending from Ezrai set Ralph away, earning Rockets a free-kick in a dangerous position.
River continued to work tirelessly and when the ball found Billy, he smashed a thunderous effort against the crossbar. Ralph reacted quickest to turn home the rebound and pull a goal back.
Demi, River and Ezrai combined brilliantly as Rockets continued to build momentum heading into half-time.
⚽ HALF-TIME: Rockets 1-2 Marton Yellows
The second half saw Rockets play some really attractive football and keep Marton pinned back. Ralph and Theo both enjoyed success with some excellent footwork, while River won and took a free-kick near the box that caused problems before Junior's follow-up effort deflected wide.
From the resulting corner, Ralph delivered an excellent ball and River was there to finish, bringing Rockets level at 2-2.
Rockets continued to move the ball brilliantly from defence to attack and it wasn't long before Jaron picked up possession on the left and fired home a superb strike that gave the goalkeeper no chance to make it 3-2.
Hector continued to mop things up at the back and help launch attacks. Theo then forced a spectacular save from the Marton goalkeeper, while a fantastic free-kick from Ezrai found Billy, who was unlucky not to score.
The pressure finally paid off again when Theo's shot was parried by the keeper and Frankie was on hand to tuck away the rebound. Frankie's goal sealed a brilliant 4-2 victory for Rockets.
Hector, Ezrai and Junior were solid defensively throughout. In midfield and attack, Demi, Billy, Theo, Ralph, River, Jaron and Frankie worked tirelessly for the team, covering every blade of grass.
When Marton did manage to break through, Reilly stood strong and produced important saves to protect Rockets' lead.
An excellent comeback from the boys, showing fantastic character after going 2-0 down and then going on to control large periods of the game.
👏 Well done to Marton Yellows for a great game played in the right spirit.
🏆 Man of the Match: Junior
Junior put in a tremendous performance, controlling the tempo of the game with great composure even when under pressure from the opposition. His excellent line-breaking passes repeatedly got Rockets on the front foot and helped launch numerous attacks. Combined with his tireless work rate and ability to cover every blade of grass, he was a deserving winner of the award.
UTFC 🔴🔵
UTR 🚀
Pirtek Cleveland
J Wilson Joinery
Jan and Toms
FC Hartlepool
