Harrogate Town opinion: Long-overdue Pools success was a genuine nail-biter

Saturday’s lunch-time kick-off had all the feel of a relegation battle. Even though it’s early in the season with plenty of time for things to turn around, there was a slight nervousness around Harrogate Town’s Wetherby Road home as two out-of-form teams, lacking in a little bit of confidence, sought a win at all costs.

And, although visiting Hartlepool start the livelier and aren’t afraid to shoot, they have a soft underbelly and a propensity to self-destruct. So it proves, when one of a number of defensive blunders sees two visiting players go for the same header from a Warren Burrell interception in the swirling wind, and the ball drops to Alex Pattison to lash into the net from six yards.

We’re in front at home for the first time since the beginning of time. Yet the hope we might keep it tight and focused momentarily evaporates, as Josh Umerah breaks through on goal straight from the restart. Pete Jameson spreads himself and connects with the faintest of touches of his boot to divert the Pools striker’s shot past the far post.

It’s a touch so faint that the referee signals a goal-kick, much to the amusement and relief of those around me.

Perhaps the most telling thing about the game is a little exchange in front of the Wetherby Road stand just before half-time. Town are one goal to the good and seeking to go in at the break with their lead intact. As we line up to take a routine free-kick near the halfway line, across comes returnee Josh Falkingham to slow things down.

“Leave it for Pete,” he instructs, waving players away, before turning to our keeper and shouting, “Pete … Pete, come and take it.”

It’s the kind of leadership we’ve been missing all season, yet perversely this minor time-wasting intervention doesn’t see Town through to the interval with a one-goal lead. Indeed, it changes the pattern of play and indirectly leads to Town entering the dressing room with a vital two-goal cushion courtesy of Jack Muldoon’s header from Pattison’s left wing-cross.

Last season, when we went in two goals to the good in County Durham, with Town looking at second place in the table and confidence sky-high, Hartlepool emerged from an undoubted half-time managerial mauling and put three past us in eight second-half minutes.

Our now very-own Matty Daly scored Pools’ winner that day, turning the tide of our season for the worst in the process, so I think it’s fair to say I’m not declaring this one yet.

True to form, the visitors made changes, doubtless had sharp words and come out stronger in the second period. An early goal might see recent history begin to repeat itself, but Jameson has other ideas, flinging himself across goal to push away Mark Shelton’s 20-yard volley with both hands.

It’s a second wonderful save at a crucial moment, but there’s still something like 35 minutes to go and the away support can sense a comeback.

That recovery doesn’t materialise as Town hold firm, and another defensive howler from Hartlepool unbelievably leaves our two forwards one-on-one with the keeper in the six-yard-box.

Muldoon lashes wide instead of squaring to Luke Armstrong and we’re left with heads in hands, forced to watch an anxious last 10 minutes through half-closed eyes, once Umerah eventually lifts the ball over the previously unbeatable Jameson to pull a goal back.

Come no further drama and the referee’s whistle in the 95th minute, I’ve discarded what’s left of my nails on the terraces and I’m almost too drained to celebrate.

From my eavesdropping on leaving the ground, the consensus amongst home fans is that although there’s room for improvement, it’s a very welcome start. I think most people realise we’re punching well above our weight in terms of the size, resources and history of the club and have factored that in.

It’s smiles all round, of course, but there’s also a realisation that there’s still a long way to go.

It was a decent game against all the odds, a game that could have gone either way, if lacking a little in quality, with Town inflicting a defeat on Hartlepool in the fashion of Colchester’s victory over ourselves last week.

The priceless three points relieve the pressure and see us climb to sixth-from-bottom, with everyone else still to kick-off later in the afternoon. By the time the day’s over, Hartlepool will find themselves in last place, but losing today would have seen Town in that position.

We’re now just two points off the basement and one point off sixteenth, it’s that tight amongst the bottom nine in a seemingly two-tier league.