Report: Hartlepool Win, At Last

Hartlepool ended a run of six home games without a win as they beat Leyton Orient in this season's final home game

Hartlepool ended a run of six home games without a win as they beat Leyton Orient in this season's final home fixture.

With Sam Collins still sidelined through injury, Neale Cooper allowed defender Jack Baldwin to continue in the heart of defence. Elsewhere in the team, Darren Holden was handed a starting slot on the left wing after impressing at Tranmere last week, but fellow youngster Jordan Richards dropped down to the bench with Evan Horwood returning to the side.

It was a bright but cold afternoon at Victoria Park as Hartlepool saw a lot of the ball, but created few chances in the opening stages. In fact it was relegation-threatened Orient who created a great chance early on as veteran striker Kevin Lisbie forced Scott Flinders into fantastic save to deny him from close range.

Orient were again cursing their luck as they fell behind to an Antony Sweeney goal just minutes later. Andy Monkhouse, who kept the Orient defence busy all afternoon with his free role up-front, sent the ball down the right wing for Neil Austin. The full-back whipped a ball into the area where Antony Sweeney fired home from close range.

Monkhouse and Sweeney were involved again as Pools looked to extend the lead, the winger's neat cross found Sweeney in the area but he was unable to direct the ball goalwards.

At the other end, Jamal Campbell-Ryce was proving a constant thorn in Pools' side and it was no surprise when he capitalised on mistake by Paul Murray to break through the defence and get his name on the scoresheet. The forward making a good run into the area before sending a great strike past Flinders from a tight angle.

While the remainder of the first half saw few chances at either end, minutes into the second half Flinders needed to pull off another top save to deny Lisbie. The striker was fed a superb through ball but Flinders acted decisively to close down the forward and make an important save.

Unimpressed with his side's sluggish start to the second half, Neale Cooper made a double change on the hour mark with James Poole and Luke James replacing Paul Murray and Darren Holden as Pools went in search of a winner.

Although the change saw the home side up the ante, it was a clever set piece that allowed Ryan Noble to grab his first goal at Victoria Park and send Pools back into the lead.

After a foul in the middle of the park, a quick free-kick from Jack Baldwin saw Evan Horwood race down the wing with the ball. His perfect cross found Noble in the area and the Sunderland loanee made no mistake from 6 yards.

Orient, now deep in relegation trouble, searched for an equaliser but the closest they came was two penalty shouts, one for an alleged hand ball and a far less convincing shout after a Orient player tumbled in the box.

But Hartlepool held on for a vital win that sends them back into the top-half of the League One table, with Orient also celebrating the final whistle as a late collapse by Wycombe meant their saftey was assured.

FT: Hartlepool 2 Leyton Orient 1 Hartlepool: Flinders, Austin, Baldwin, Hartley, Horwood, Sweeney, Murray (Poole 60), Liddle, Holden (James 60), Noble, Monkhouse
Subs not used: Rafferty, Richards, Humphreys

Leyton Orient: Jones, Ben Youssef, Forbes, Chorley, McSweeney, Smith (Mooney 87), Spring, Reed, Cox (Porter 77), Campbell-Ryce, Lisbie
Subs not used: Andrew, Cestor, Taiwo

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