Dave Challinor says Hartlepool United are 'worthy winners' after six-minute comeback to win 3-2 against Harrogate Town

For the second home match running, Dave Challinor masterminded a comeback victory for Hartlepool United as they beat Harrogate Town 3-2.
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Pools trailed 2-0 at half-time following goals from George Thomson and a Neill Byrne own goal.

But a tactical change to 3-5-2 at the break saw Pools turn things around dramatically with David Ferguson, Mark Cullen and Matty Daly finding the net to make it 3-2 by the hour mark.

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From that point, Hartlepool were able to see the game out comfortably to continue their unbeaten start to the season at Victoria Park.

Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor  during the Sky Bet League 2 match between Hartlepool United and Harrogate Town at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Sunday 24th October 2021. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor  during the Sky Bet League 2 match between Hartlepool United and Harrogate Town at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Sunday 24th October 2021. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)
Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor during the Sky Bet League 2 match between Hartlepool United and Harrogate Town at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Sunday 24th October 2021. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)

Following the match, Challinor said: “My blood pressure is a lot better than it was at half-time!

“I still stick to the principle that I don't want to make it a habit but we've got three points. Second half we were very good and worthy winners."

The hosts actually started the game very brightly and Neill Byrne had a goal ruled out for offside as he poked Luke Molyneux’s goal-bound strike in on the line.

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“The game could have been over in the first 14-minutes, we've got ourselves in really good situations and should have scored,” he added. “The ball is going in anyway and someone offside pokes the ball in from a yard to deny us the goal.

"Then we find ourselves 2-0 down. The second goal they scored is really disappointing, we switched off and we're 2-0 down from nowhere.

"We have a message in our dressing room which says 'switch off means no days off'. I wasn't in the best of moods at half-time.

“But we changed our shape to try a cautious way back into the game and what you need with that is a bit of momentum.

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"We get a goal then another within two minutes and a third soon after riding a crest of a wave.”

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The win takes Pools up to seventh in the table, level on 23 points with Harrogate after 14 games.

Challinor added: “Harrogate have supposedly had a great start to the season while we've had an all right start but now we're level on points with them so maybe our start has been a bit better than we've been given credit for.”

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