Poole - goal

By Charlie Summerbell
January 27 2013

Relegation might remain a certainty for Hartlepool United, but their battling 3-1 win at fellow strugglers Portsmouth at least gives them something to aim for this season - they could avoid bottom place in League One.

They are now only five points behind the former Premiership club, and on the form shown in the basement battle at Fratton Park, it’s a gap they can close.

From inspiring keeper Scott Flinders right through a team missing inured Antony Sweeney and Steve Howard, Pools showed the sort of spirit and fight that could have saved them from trouble this season, if only it had come earlier (and more opponents were as weak as Pompey).

Boss John Hughes had demanded a win after the midweek home flop against Bournemouth and he was delighted with the response.

“It was deserved,” he told the club website. “We played some nice stuff in the first half and got our goal, we scored a nice second and tactically it worked a treat.” Referring to a shaky spell after that second goal, he admitted: “It was backs to the wall, we were a bit disappointed to concede then it was a a bit tense in the last 15 minutes.

“But that’s seven points from the last nine away, and that’s good form.”

Considering the weather, the distance and the fact that it was a game between League One bottom two teams, both seemingly doomed to the drop, Hughes was as amazed as everybody else by the fact that 204 Pools fans made the journey.

“For those guys to make the trip, specially with the position we are in, fighting for our lives, and get right behind the team is fantastic. This win is for them.”

Jack Baldwin celebrated his return to the starting team with a headed opener for Pools, James Poole got the second soon after the break and after Jed Wallace had cut the gap, sub Greg Rutherford got his first senior goal late on to make sure.

Pools are still bottom and still looked doomed, but they could avoid bottom place and looking at the age of the team and the scorers, perhaps the long-term future isn’t so bleak after all.