Pools fight back for vital win

It doesn't matter how they did it, but Hartlepool United have at last chalked up their first home win of the season – and they need to make it two on Tuesday night when Carlisle visit the Vic for what looks like being a much tougher assignment for Mick Wadsworth's team. Walsall were no great shakes, but it was always a nervous match for both teams.

Carlisle, despite slipping out of the top six after their weekend defeat at Bournemouth, have had a solid start to the season and will pose a much stiffer test than Walsall did.
But that doesn’t mean Wadsworth is wrong to be pleased with the Victoria Park breakthrough.
He told the club website that it was a hard game because both teams were desperate for a result and added:  “Having given away our customary goal, I thought we came back well.
“Today it was solid and that was something we needed.”
With James Brown and Adam Boyd out injured and Richie Humphreys and Fabien Yantorno picking up knocks during the game, Pools aren’t having the best of luck with injuries.
But they battled for their win and Wadsworth told the BBC: “we are also grateful to the crowd – results have not been good at home, but they have stuck with us and that result today was what they and the team deserved.”
Walsall took the lead with a sloppy Julian Gray goal on nine minutes, but Pools didn’t panic and gotr their reward just before half-time when sub Denis Behan headed on a long Sam Collins throw for Tony Sweeney to notch his forth of the season with an overhead kick.
Ten minutes into the second half Pools took the lead when Evan Horwood’s free-kick was headed in by the unmarked Andy Monkhouse – his third goal of the season.
There were a coiuple of late scares for Pools as Walsall staged a desperate rally, but they held out for a win worth far more than three points.
Another three on Tuesday would make their prospects look a lot brighter, but don’t expect Carlisle to be as weak as Walsall were.