Hartlepool United 2 Yeovil Town 0

Mar 25 2008 The Journal

HARTLEPOOL put their lingering relegation fears behind them with a comfortable recovery win after their poor show at Crewe on Saturday.

They were always on top and with Joel Porter and substitute James Brown shining up front, the Yeovil defence was under pressure for long spells and lucky not to concede more goals.

Pool boss Danny Wilson had called for an improvement after the Crewe game, and he got it.

He said: “That was a lot better. We defended well and if we keep clean sheets like we did today, we will win games because we have players who attack well and score goals.

“We got a bit lucky at the end when they hit the post, but that was one of the few chances they had all game.”

Pool got off to a bright start and Porter hammered a low 15-yard shot against the base of the Yeovil post on eight minutes before things threatened to go wrong.

First Sam Collins limped off injured on 13 minutes, and five minutes later he was followed by top scorer Richard Barker as Pool were forced to shuffle their pack.

But with Michael Nelson – left out for the first time in his Pool career – on for Collins and Brown replacing Barker, the home side stayed on top and built their attacks on solid defending by Ben Clark and Nelson.

The reward came on 28 minutes when a quick throw-in by Andy Monkhouse sent Porter into the area on the left. He pulled a great ball back – leaving Brown to lash a low shot into the bottom corner from 15 yards for his 12th goal of the season.

Yeovil were under pressure for the rest of the half as snow showers alternated with bright sunshine, and Pool had two loud penalty claims turned down as Brown and Porter both appeared to be fouled in the area.

Yeovil’s only chance fell to former Sunderland striker Marcus Stewart, whose header was saved by Arran Lee-Barrett after a left-wing cross from Steve Maher and there were no more goals before the players got a chance to warm-up at half-time.

After the break, Yeovil made more of a game of it, but they found chances difficult to come by, and they were killed off on 67 minute when Pool scored a second to move into the comfort zone.

Richie Humphreys’ back-heel sent Monkhouse clear wide on the left and his low cross found Porter opposite the far post for a neat 12-yard finish into the bottom corner.

Pool stayed on top from then on, though Yeovil threatened late on .

HARTLEPOOL: Lee-Barrett, McCunnie, Clark, Collins (Nelson 13), Humphreys, Sweeney, Boland (Foley 68), Liddle, Monkhouse, Porter, Barker (Brown 18). Subs (not used): Robson, Mackay.

Booked: Clark

Goals: Brown 28, Porter 67

YEOVIL: Flinders, Forbes, Guyett, Skiverton, Peltier, Barry (Bridcutt 58), Christophe (Smith 61), Maher (Williams 73), Owusu, Stewart, Kirk. Subs (not used): Rose, Alcock.

Booked: Christophe, Stewart

Attendance: 3,808

Referee: Carl Boyeson (E Yorkshire)