AS Luke James left the pitch to a deserved standing ovation, he was replaced by a Hartlepool United hero getting one himself.
James, 17, on his second start for the club and fifth game overall, had smashed in a spectacular goal for Pool, volleying into the Rochdale net from 25 yards to end a woeful run of results at Victoria Park.
As he jogged off, on came Ritchie Humpheys – for the 500th appearance of his Pool career .
Some contrast and both were richly and rightly appreciated by the crowd.
Spirits and confidence was back at Victoria Park on Saturday as Pool finally won at home.
It has been a long time coming, a 3-0 win over Bury on September 17 being their last home win.
There were enough promising signs on Saturday the confidence is coming back.
It has been shattered of late, as Pool lost game after game to opposition, at times, as poor as Rochdale.
However, in James, Pool have a real talent. He signed his first professional contract in November, made his debut in December and scored his first goal in January.
Manager Neale Cooper, celebrating his first win since being reappointed almost two weeks ago, said: “What a wonderful strike for his goal, superb.
“We took him off at the end to get a reaction like he did, man of the match, and if he plays like this then people will be sniffing around.
“It is nice to bring young boys through to play for the first-team.
“If people here at Hartlepool see him working hard and playing like that, then they will back them all the way – that is Hartlepool people.
“They also want to see their team win and it has been too long since they did.
Now, with Cooper settled back in, the smiles are back.
He added: There was relief in there – big time – and it was nice to see a happy dressing room.
“I have only been here a week and I can feel the feeling they have had for the last nine games - there is a good feeling around the place again.
“We never got close enough at the start of the second half, but delivery from set-plays was good.”
James Brown opened the scoring, heading into the Town End net from close range following a Sam Collins’ long throw. That was scrappy, but sent the crowd happy.
They were delirious seven minutes later. From another throw, this time lobbed towards James, the attacker allowed the ball to roll across his body before arcing an unstoppable drive high into the net.
HARTLEPOOL: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Hartley, Horwood, Murray (Brown 68), Liddle, Baldwin, Monkhouse, James (Humphreys 90), Sweeney. Subs (not used): Rafferty, Boyd, Solano.
Booked: Monkhouse. Goals: Brown 74, James 80.
ROCHDALE: Kurucz, Darby (Tutte 82), Holden, Jordan, Widdowson, Ball (Grimes 77), Jones, Kennedy, Adams (Akpa Akpro 77), Ormerod, Bogdanovic. Subs (not used): Edwards, Holness. Booked: Widdowson.
Referee: James Adcock (Nottinghamshire)
Attendance: 4,663
