Pools in Bury bounce-back after Wycombe flop

Two golden oldies helped Hartlepool United bounce back after their awful weekend performance at Wycombe to produce a useful win at Bury - if they'd played as well as that on Saturday, there's no doubt they would have won.

Appearance record holder Richie Humphreys scored the first and sub Adam Boyd, made available on loan last week, got the second as Pools beat Richie Barker’s team with something to spare.

Neale Cooper had rightly been angered by the Wycombe game, but he did predict a positive reaction, and that’s what he got.

He told the Northern Echo: “It was so important to bounce back after the weekend.

“We had a long chat about the weekend, mistakes happened and we put them aside tonight.

“It was gritty out there, even at the end when they were coming at us we dropped deep, but the shape was good and we kept them out.

 “Their manager knew we would respond from the weekend and we did of course. We picked the boys up in training yesterday and the response was excellent. I’m really really pleased with my players.’’

So he should be – the performance made the Wycombe game look all the more wasteful.

Luke James was out injured, replaced by Humphreys, while Jack Baldwin took over from Steve Haslam in a midfield that looked a lot better.

Humphreys headed the first from Neil Austin’s cross and midway through the second half sub Boyd scored after Andy Monkhouse headed down Evan Horwood’s free-kick.

David Worrall narrowed the gap for a nervous finish, but Pools held on easily to earn a reward for a thorough performance.

Now Pools got into a busy March in which they play four play-off contenders, starting on Saturday at the Vic against an MK Dons side which won 1-0 at Bournemouth in midweek. That’s followed by Huddersfield away, Walsall away, Stevenage and Oldham at home, Yeovil away and Sheffield United at home.

The Wycombe defeat all but put paid to their lingering play-off hopes, but you never know … four of those games could be six-pointers.