Harrogate Town 1-2 Hartlepool United RECAP: Luke Molyneux caps landmark appearance with wonder strike as Pools come from behind to beat Harrogate
Graeme Lee’s side had to do things the hard way again after falling behind for the fourth consecutive game when Luke Armstrong inevitably opened the scoring against his old club.
But Pools did not need to wait until half-time on this occasion as they sparked their own reaction through Luke Molyneux’s stunning equaliser on his 100th appearance for the club.
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Hide AdThe two sides went in level at the break but it was Lee’s side who forced the issue in the second half and deservedly took the lead through a sweet strike from David Ferguson.
The away side looked assured for large parts of the second half and were able to dig in during the closing stages to see out the game and earn a big three points.
Despite being a fairly even opening period of the game it was the home side who took the lead after Armstrong found space in the box from a throw-in on the right before shifting the ball onto his left and rolling into the bottom corner.
But where Pools have laboured at times having gone behind in the first half recently they got back on level terms within four minutes when Mark Shelton found Molyneux on the right and the 23-year-old did what he does best as he cut inside before unleashing a wonderful effort into the top corner beyond the outstretched Mark Oxley.
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Hide AdAnd Pools might have taken the lead when Tom Crawford twice dragged wide with the scores level at the break.
But it was the visitors who pressed for the go ahead goal in the second half with Joe Grey just missing out at the back post from Jamie Sterry’s cross.
The travelling 600 Poolies didn’t have long to wait though as Omar Bogle was able to pick out Ferguson on the edge of the area and the fullback arrowed an effort low into the bottom corner.
Sunderland loan midfielder Jack Diamond brought a good save from Ben Killip in the closing stages but it was Pools who were able to hold on to get back to winning ways.
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Harrogate Town 1-2 Hartlepool United RECAP: Luke Molyneux and David Ferguson star as Pools come from behind to win in Harrogate
Key Events
- David Ferguson fires Hartlepool into the lead.
- Luke Molyneux equalises with a stunning strike from range.
- Luke Armstrong puts Harrogate in front against his old club.
- Harrogate Town XI: Oxley, Fallowfield, Page, Smith, Burrell, Thomson, Pattison, Muldoon, Diamond, Armstrong, Richards
- Subs: Kavanagh, Beck, Cracknell, Sherron, Austerfield, Power
- Hartlepool United XI: Killip, Sterry, Liddle, Odusina, Ferguson, Featherstone , Shelton, Crawford, Grey, Molyneux, Bogle
- Subs: Bilokapic, Hull, Smith, Fletcher, White, Holohan, Carver
21 - ODUSINA CLEARS
Brilliant clearance from Odusina from Diamond with the midfielder all set to strike on goal.
19 - FALLOWFIELD WIDE
Excellent diagonal from Richards to pick out Fallowfield but he steers his attempt wide of Killip’s near post
Featherstone pokes a clearance away from Pattison but only into the path o Fallowfield as Odusina is forced to race across and cut out the fullback’s sight on goal
Sterry breaks clear up the right and tries to locate Grey but his cross has too much on it forthe youngster
14 - GOOD CHALLENGE ODUSINA
Excellent tackle from Odusina to deny Muldoon who looked to be in inside the Pools penalty area. It goes behind for a corner which Pools deal with before Page drags an effort well wide
Muldoon heads Fallowfield’s fizzed cross up in the air which allows Killip to watch it all the way and collect
Pools settling into things after a bright opening from the home side but neither side with an real openings so far