Howard - double

By Charlie Summerbell
December 30 2012

It's difficult to tell who was more surprised, their own fans or opponents Sheffield United, as the Hartlepool United team already written off as relegated produced what will surely remain until May as the shock of the League One season by winning 3-2 at Bramall Lane.

After all, it was top v bottom, Pools without a win in a record-breaking 23 games, and Danny Wilson’s team were going to win by miles and bookies offering odds of only 10-1 against an away win were more optimistic than Pools fans resigned to their League Two fate.

Yet not only did they produce the sort of shock that will continue to keep football attractive against the mounting corporate tide, they won on merit in front of almost 20,000 disbelieving fans.

And the goals were shared by two players who have been the targets of at times vicious vitriol from supporters who believe that being in a losing team is a hanging offence.

Steve Howard trebled his goals output for the season with two thumping headers, while the other came from Richie Humphreys.

John Hughes was naturally delighted with his first win as Pools boss. “The effort and commitment they put in to get three goals at the League leaders, it’s a fantastic day,” he told the club website.

“Hopefully that will give us the confidence and momentum to try and build on that. I’m delighted for them.

“We scored the goals at the right time and gave us plenty to hold on to. Hopefully we’ll now see one or two of them come into training with a spring in their step – we’ve set a benchmark beating the League leaders, and we have to have belief.”

Howard headed in Evan Horwood’s cross for the first, then he and Jon franks missed sitters before a rare Scott Flinders error handed an equalizer to Michael Doyle.

But when everybody must have expected Pools to crumble under a home onslaught, Humphreys scoring after another Horwood cross.

James Poole’s ball gave Howard the chance to head the third and Pools held on relatively comfortably until the Blades got an added time consolation through Harry Maguire.

Just where this performance and result came from is anybody’s guess, but it’s up to Pools to demonstrate that it wasn’t the freak flash in the pan people will be describing it as.

It was a brilliant way to end an unhappy year, beating Preston at the Vic on New Year’s Day would be an even better way to start 2013.