Gamble pays off to leave Turner happy

Feb 8 2010 by Stuart Rayner, The Journal

Hartlepool United 2, Leeds United 2

Two draws and four defeats in six games might not suggest it, but Turner is adamant his men have been playing like this since holding midfielder Gamble’s debut.

He said: “Joe Gamble helps us play football.

“I don’t want to say too much about Leeds, but we needed the ball on the ground to pass them off the park.

“We got to grips with it in the second half, showed more belief and passed it very well.”

With their first 5,000-plus crowd of a disappointing season at the turnstiles – albeit nearly 40 percent were in the away end – Turner was pleased to put on a show.

He added: “It was important for us to play in front of our crowd like we have away from home.

“I was pleased the crowd could see in the second half what we are all about and hopefully we can keep doing it.”

For Gamble, signed in January when Cork City were unable to pay his wages, the match had added resonance.

He said: “I am a Leeds fan – I was mascot for them as a kid when they used to come over to Ireland. I was in the supporters’ club and went to Elland Road four or five times. My dad was a big fan.

“My dad was trying to come over for the weekend, but the price of flights were astronomical!”

Southampton’s FA Cup commitments mean Hartlepool must bottle their euphoria for a fortnight before taking to the pitch again.

When Huddersfield Town finally come to Teesside, Turner will be asking tough questions of his men. The manager added: “Ritchie Jones did fantastically well, but we need that from 3 o’clock next time he plays.

“That is the standard and tempo we want from him, he has it.

“Ritchie and Adam have been left out, but came back in and played well.

“I don’t want to see them in for three games, then have to leave them out again. I want a consistent team.”

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2): Flinders; Austin, Collins, Liddle, Hartley; Sweeney, Gamble, Humphreys (Jones 58), Monkhouse; Larkin (Behan HT), Boyd. Subs (not used): Clark, McSweeney, Fredriksen, Cook, Bjornsson.

Booked: Austin 63. Goals: Boyd 72, Sweeney 90+4.

LEEDS UNITED (4-4-2): Ankergren; Bromby, Naylor, Michalik, Lowry; Gradel, Howson, Doyle, McSheffrey (Johnson 86); Beckford (Snodgrass HT), Becchio. Subs (not used): Crowe, Grella, , Hughes, White, D Martin. Goals: Becchio 23, 78.

Referee: Scott Mathieson (Cheshire). Att: 5,115.