Year promising to end on a bright note for Pools

The year is promising a happy ending for Hartlepool United after they battled their way into the third round of the FA Cup to chalk up their third win on the trot and make it just three defeats in their last 14 games. But as usual for Pools, it wasn’t all easy as Antony Sweeney’s hat trick helped them fight back from 2-0 down against Yeovil at Victoria Park.

But they got there in the end to maintain their good run of results and keep a smile on the faces of boss Mick Wadsworth’s and the fans.
The prize money should also keep chairman Ken Hodcroft happy after his recent doom-and-gloom outburst against Hartlepool Council over the negotiations for the sale of Victoria Park. The crowd of under 2,000 won't have cheered him up, but ten days before Christmas is not the best time to be playing a rearranged game and the prize money isn't bad.
But the biggest smile must be reserved for Sweeney, who found the goalscoring form everybody knows he is capable of to turn the match round after a poor start.
Yeovil might not be one of this season’s better League One teams, but they were more than capable of cashing in as Pools got off to the sort of start that has seen them hammered at home a couple of times already this season.
But Sweeney’s treble and a great finish from ever-reliable Richie Humphreys steered Pools home.
Wadsworth told the Northern Echo: “Sweeney has been itching for a goal for a few weeks, he always gets in the positions, it's a gift, a real knack and it's about timing and I'm so pleased for him.  
“I feared we would start like we did – we were up against a weakened side. They expected a tough one and we made it tough for ourselves.
“They scored two good goals, we weren't at the pace of it, but I wasn't too worried.
“I knew a goal before half-time would see us OK and we got two – again down to the importance of set-plays.
“The goals gave us a platform to be able to say what we needed to at half-time without being too critical.
“Then we started the second-half like we should have started the first. From there on we played the football.''
Andy Williams and Edward Upson gave Yeovil their two-goal lead, but Pools hit back quickly as Sam Collins headed down for Sweeney to score his first from close range, and before half-time they were level with a similar goal as Collins made the chance for Sweeney.
The first half had not deserved four goals, but the second was a lot better as Pools found their form, and they were in front as Sweeney crossed for Humphreys to belie has veteran status with an acrobatic volley.
Fittingly Sweeney swept in the fourth to kill off Yeovil and earn a trip to Watford on January 8.
But before that they have League One business to attend to, with five games in just over two weeks:

Dec 18 – Charlton (h)
Dec 26 – Huddersfield (a)
Dec 28 – Leyton orient (h)
Jan 1 – Oldham (h)
Jan 3 – Notts Co (a)

It’s a hectic time, but on current form Pools have every right to believe they can do well.
Hopefully results will encourage the gates will climb.