Bring on Spurs! Pools won the right in 1990 to take on the London giants in the cup

A Paul Baker volley on the turn - 27 years ago - was a real money-spinner for Hartlepool United.
Paul Baker in action.Paul Baker in action.
Paul Baker in action.

For his goal, which was four minutes from time, was enough to put Pools through to the next round of the Rumbelows Cup.

And that meant a two-leg tie with Tottenham Hotspur which experts were predicting would be worth £100,000 to Hartlepool.

Brian Honour.Brian Honour.
Brian Honour.
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Yet it all looked as if progression in the competition had slipped away from Pools when they went behind to two goals from Chesterfield.

Both were scored by Andy Morris and helped the visitors to overturn a first leg disadvantage.

His first saw him take a pass from Rolph, beat Andy Harbron’s tackle, stumble, recover and then round Pools keeper Brian Cox to finish off the move.

Pools were behind after 10 minutes and went two down on 45. However, it could have been two much earlier on the 24th minute when Rolph hit the post.

Brian Honour.Brian Honour.
Brian Honour.
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Pools were getting plenty of the ball but hardly creating any clear-cut chances.

At the other end, Cox was keeping the home side in the game with a string of fine saves.

Pools best first half chance came on 41 minutes when Paul Dalton played in Joe Allon but he could not convert.

Sixteen seconds into first half injury time, Rogers was given too much time to put in a pinpoint cross and 6ft 5ins Morris won the resulting header to put Chesterfield two-up.

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Pools manager Cyril Knowles made two first half changes with Brian Honour and Andy Duggan entering the fray.

Pools tightened the screw and - in one incident alone - Allon, Baker and Dalton - all had changes in one mad scramble.

But with just over 20 minutes to go, Pools were back level on aggregate when Keith Nobbs swung a cross to the far post, Duggan nodded it down and Allon stabbed the ball home.

As the match looked destined for extra time, Pools punted the ball long and Paul Olsson chased hard. He laid the ball back to Dalton who crossed for Baker.

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His header hit the bar and bounced back into play but it was Baker again who was first to react. He hooked his left foot volley past the keeper.

And then it was a case of ‘bring on Spurs!’.

Hartlepool: Cox, Olsson, McKinnon, Tinkler (Honour), Harbron (Duggan), Bennyworth, Allon, Tupling, Baker, Nobbs, Dalton.

Chesterfield: Allison, Rogers, Hart, Lamon, Brian, Gunn, Rolph, Hewitt (Francis), Morris, Cooke, Ryan (Dyche).