Pools made hard work of it at times, making the anxious fans and the even more anxious Neale Cooper wait until the last quarter before wrapping up the points.

But they did it with a neat close-ranger header from sub James Brown, demonstrating that he is by no means a spent force, and a stunning long-range effort from teenager Luke James – the youngest player ever to score for Pools, at 17 years and 64 days he looks as if he should still be at school, until he gets the ball.

With sub Richie Humphreys making his 500^th appearance, the fans got an extra bonus as the win came against a side managed by Chris Beech, who will win few poipularity polls with fans at the Vic after he left the club for Huddersfield all those years ago.

Pools deserved the win and Cooper will be hoping that this long-awaited breakthrough, his first victory after returning to the club, will be the foundation for a climb up the League One table.

He told the club website: Everyone gave their lot – that’s all I ask for. We’ll win games and lose games, but if the crowd see that kind of effort they’ll get totally behind the lads.

“Luke James was fantastic today – his work ethic is second to none and I just thought he was immense and caused them no end of problems.

“It was a wonderful strike for his goal and it was nice to be able to take him off to get his ovation near the end because he must have been man of the match.

“I thought James Brown was another who showed today why we need to get him fit and flying. But credit to all the players. I was grateful for that performance – if they give me that kind of effort every week, I will be a very happy man.”

Cooper and players will hopefully be careful not to fall into the trap that after at last halting the rot at the Vic, all is rosy for Pools.

That disastrous run of nine defeats on the trot has virtually ruined the season, barring miracles, and there is a lot of repair work to be done yet – results at Exeter and Sheffield Wednesday over the next two weekends will help.

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Cooper relief as Pools win at last

Posted by: The Box of Kippers (IP Logged)

Date: 08/01/2012 10:35

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