LEE CLARK enjoyed a happy return to the North East as his Huddersfield Town side ground out a single-goal victory at Hartlepool United.
The former Newcastle and Sunderland schemer saw his team extend their unbeaten run to nine games, but they were made to work hard for their win by a determined Pool side.
After a first half in which Pool failed to spark, they kicked into second-half life and constantly pressed the visitors back.
But they have now failed to score in their last three home games, despite three satisfying performances.
Throughout the opening period, Clark’s side were quicker and stronger than the hosts.
With former Gateshead front man Lee Novak proving a powerful and strong option up front, Pool rarely had any respite.
They took the lead on 11 minutes and were rarely troubled themselves.
Anthony Pilkington scored, cracking a low shot past Scott Flinders. But Pool felt they should have had a free-kick for a high challenge on Steve Haslam before the loose ball ran from Pilkington to notch.
The Terriers were living up to their name – busy, and snapping away at the opposition.
They almost had a second when Gary Roberts, cutting in from the left, created space to shoot low and Scott Flinders smothered the shot.
Minutes later, it was the same again. This time, from a similar spot, Roberts cracked at goal and Flinders dived to keep this one out.
Pool, who switched from 4-4-2 to 4-5-1 midway through the half, were creating nothing.
A succession of long balls up to Ryan Donaldson were ineffective and lapped up by the visiting central defenders.
Their goalkeeper Ian Bennett had next to nothing to do and, when he kept out a goalbound header from his own defender Antony Kay, it was his first involvement.
Flinders did well to stretch and save a goalbound Peter Clarke header when he met Pilkington’s teaser of a cross at the start of the second period.
But finally Pool sparked into some attacking life.
Evan Horwood’s free-kick put Bennett in a flap. Pool got a corner that led to a Gary Liddle chance which was sliced wide.
Andy Monkhouse then broke clear, beat Bennett and shot across goal.
And Sweeney, 12 goals to his name this season, looked like adding to his tally but was blocked by Clarke.
Pool were certainly making more of a game of it than they managed in a lacklustre first-half display. But they were left to rue their failure to start making inroads in attack until the hour mark.
The main talking point at the end was referee Coote, who booked nine players and bewildered all and sundry in an inconsistent display.
ELLIOTT Bennett fired home his sixth goal of the season as leaders Brighton took another giant stride towards the npower League One title with a 1-0 win over Yeovil at Huish Park.
Bennett’s 20-yard strike in the 25th minute was enough to win it for the Seagulls, who moved four points clear of second-placed Bournemouth, who did not play last night, with two games in hand.
Southampton suffered a shock 1-0 defeat at relegation-threatened Walsall.
The Saints were sunk by Jonathan Macken’s 69th-minute winner at the Bescot Stadium which leaves them flailing in fifth and sends the Saddlers out of the bottom four and three points clear of Swindon.
Colchester kept their own slim play-off hopes alive with a 1-0 win at Bristol Rovers. Kayode Odejayi’s 22nd-minute goal won it for Colchester, while Rovers are now four points off safety in the drop zone.
Tranmere nudged closer to survival with a 1-1 draw at Exeter, while Notts County also secured a 1-1 draw at Brentford despite playing with 10 men for the last 65 minutes following the early sending-off of Jon Harley.
HARTLEPOOL: Flinders, Haslam, Collins, Hartley, Horwood, McSweeney, Murray (Larkin 69), Liddle, Sweeney, Donaldson (Brown 78), Monkhouse. Subs Not Used: Rafferty, Humphreys, Gamble, Boyd, Yantorno.
Booked: Murray, Hartley, Donaldson, McSweeney, Collins.
HUDDERSFIELD: Bennett, Peltier, Kay, Peter Clarke, Jordan, Pilkington, Kilbane, Gudjonsson, Arfield, Roberts, Novak (Afobe 90). Subs Not Used: Smithies, Atkinson, McCombe, Hunt, Rhodes, Lee.
Booked: Kay, Novak, Gudjonsson, Peltier. Goal: Pilkington 12.
Att: 2,857. Ref: David Coote (Nottinghamshire).
