Smiles At Last

The smiles are back on the faces of the Pools' players and fans. Craig Hignett has taken the pressure off and that was noticeable in the way the home players warmed up before the vital 3-1 win over fellow strugglers Dagenham and Redbridge.

It was one of the most important games of the season, but you wouldn't have known it from the faces of the players.

As a result they started off like a house on fire with no tension visible. We were two up in a matter of minutes after Luke James was demolished in the box to give Billy Paynter anothere goal from the spot followed by a header from the resurgent Jake Carroll.

The Daggers are still fighting for their lives, and got one back during their best spell, but Jake Gray came on to secure a second 3-1 victory and put a smile on all of our faces.

Now it's off to Newport for one of the games in hand. County's 3-0 win at Portsmouth at the weekend will have eased their own relegation  fears so it promises to be an interesting one.