Home comforts at last for Pools
Last Updated: February 2, 2013 6:43pm
Peter Hartley: Bagged the winning goal
Hartlepool recorded back-to-back victories for the first time in 17 months with a battling 2-1 home victory over Notts County.
Not since September 2011 have Pools taken six points from successive league matches and while they remain bottom of the table, they won for the first time in the league at home since September last year and are finally showing some fight.
John Hughes' side took a swift lead when Jon Franks' cross was met by James Poole eight yards out and a delicate first touch set himself up to volley in from close range.
County had two chances to level, denied both times by stout defending in the 36th minute. First Peter Hartley stood firm to block a goalbound Jamal Campbell-Ryce shot and, from the subsequent corner, Yoann Arquin's header was hacked off the goalline by Neil Austin.
Campell-Ryce did breakthrough in the 53rd minute, scoring a fine individual effort as he skipped across the defence on the right side to shoot low past Scott Flinders.
County were on top, but Pools responded with the winner.
Evan Horwood's free-kick into the penalty area was scrambled in from close range by skipper Peter Hartley.
Flinders denied Arquin a second equaliser when he stopped a tame header from close range, but Pools deserved their win.
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 |
