Turner realising size of the task

Nov 23 2009 The Journal

Huddersfield Town 2, Hartlepool United 1

IT doesn't get much easier in Hartlepool United’s attempts to make an impact at the top half of League One.

After losing at Huddersfield on Saturday, next up for Pool is Southampton tomorrow evening.

So after taking on and losing to one big-budget club, one whose sole aim this season is to get out of League One and into the Championship, up comes another for Chris Turner’s side.

Pool weren’t disgraced by any means at the Galpharm Stadium. They were the better team in the first-half as they led 1-0 and then put under constant pressure in the second.

“We ware against a side who have a lot of quality,” reflected Turner. “Standing on the sidelines it’s hard watching when you are under the cosh, there’s a big difference between the clubs. We are up there and trying to get right up there where Huddersfield are and they are on the crest of a wave at the moment.

“Some of the boys came out with credit – we had to do a lot of defending, a lot of heading, a lot of blocks.

“But it’s like when a smaller Premier League club goes to somewhere like Anfield or Old Trafford – that’s what we are up against in this division when we go to Leeds on Boxing Day and then later to Norwich and Southampton.

“That’s what we are up against. They have lots of players who have quality, power and strength, with a crowd right behind them. It’s like playing against a train at times and it’s tough to get going.”

Pool took the lead when Gary Liddle headed in Neil Austin’s free-kick from close range and it would have been two shortly afterwards, if home captain Peter Clarke hadn’t got back on to his goalline to stop an Adam Boyd header from going in.

That was about it as far as Pool chances go. From then on it was a case of how long Turner’s side could hold out for.

They lasted until the 55th minute, Anthony Pilkington’s free-kick hit a post and bounced back into the net off left-back Peter Hartley.

Then 11 minutes later Neil Austin failed to tackle Robbie Williams and the defender cracked a powerful shot home to end Pool’s five-game unbeaten run.

Now it’s all about beginning another similar run – starting tomorrow.

HUDDERSFIELD: Smithies, Peltier, Peter Clarke, Nathan Clarke, Williams, Pilkington, Collins, Kay, Roberts, Rhodes, Novak (Robinson 76). Subs (not used): Goodwin, Tom Clarke, Butler, Berrett, Glennon, Ainsworth.

Booked: Kay.

Goals: Hartley 56 og, Williams 66.

HARTLEPOOL: Flinders, Austin, Liddle, Collins, Hartley, Larkin (McSweeney 64), Humphreys, Jones, Monkhouse, Boyd (Behan 64), Brown. Subs (not used): Sweeney, Clark, Fredriksen, Cook, Greulich.

Booked: Boyd, Liddle, Austin.

Goals: Liddle 18.

Referee: Paul Tierney (Wigan) Attendance: 12,518