Peterborough Utd 1, Hartlepool Utd 2

Sep 1 2008 The Journal

THEY say every goal can be traced back to a mistake by the opposition, but few errors are as glaring as the two that gave Hartlepool their first away win of the season on Saturday.

Peterborough hit the self-destruct button twice in two minutes, and Pool cashed in to finish the week in style four days after their Carling Cup giant-killing against West Brom.

Afterwards Pool boss Danny Wilson said: “We had a little bit of luck but we are probably due some good fortune. Darren Ferguson won’t be happy with the way his team has conceded the goals, and in his place I would be the same. But we took the chances when they were there, and that’s what counts.”

Wilson was happy to come through a one-sided first half with the scoreline blank, then two quick goals gave Pool control.

On 58 minutes, Micah Hyde and Shane Blackett made a mess of a clearance in the Posh box, and from six yards Andy Monkhouse blasted a rising shot into the roof of the net.

Pool only had time to replace the quiet James Brown with Richard Barker before the sub made it two, sliding in on a weak Craig Morgan back-pass to beat keeper Joe Lewis and send the ball rolling over the line.

Peterborough were rocked, but got their game together enough for George Boyd to blast a 77th-minute goal. But thanks to a defensive display at the end which was as good as the one in the first half, the home team never got any closer.

Wilson said: “After our bit of glory during the week, we needed to dig in and get a result.

“We were tested, but we stood firm and took our chances when they came. It wasn’t a polished performance, but we ground out a result and that was very pleasing.”

Meanwhile, Wilson declared himself happy with his team’s reward for their West Brom win, a trip to League One rivals Leeds in round three.

“We’d rather have been at home,” he said. “But we played very well at Leeds last season and were unlucky. It’s a fantastic draw.”

The resilience Pool showed at Peterborough suggests they can do better away from home this season than they did last.

Sam Collins has added so much to the defence and, as Wilson says, keeper Arran Lee-Barrett is coming on leaps and bounds: “He has been unfairly criticised, but he is a great prospect,” said the boss.

On this form, Pool aren’t a bad prospect, either.

PETERBOROUGH: Lewis, Martin, Morgan, Blackett, Day, Torres, Hyde (Lee 69), Keates (Whelpdale 69), Boyd, Mclean, Mackail-Smith. Subs (not used): Rendell, Green, Tyler.

Booked: Hyde, Mclean.

Goal: Boyd 78.

HARTLEPOOL: Lee-Barrett, McCunnie, Nelson, Collins, Humphreys, Sweeney, Liddle, Jones, Monkhouse (Robson 84), Porter (Foley 75), Brown (Barker 59). Subs (not used): Power, Rowell.

Booked: Monkhouse, Liddle.

Goals: Monkhouse 58, Barker 59.

Attendance: 5,728.

Referee: Andy Hall (W Midlands).