Hartlepool United 2-1 Carlisle United verdict: The good times never seemed so good at Victoria Park

Great goals, an even better atmosphere and most importantly three points against a ‘local’ rival.

Carlisle may be just shy of 100-miles away from Hartlepool but it’s as close to a derby as they’re going to get in League Two this season.

After picking up six points from their opening three matches, Saturday’s game against Carlisle United was shaping up to be Pools’ biggest test of the season so far.

It was very much a litmus test of their League Two credentials as a newly promoted outfit. Carlisle were unbeaten heading into the game while Pools were looking to continue their phenomenal home form.

Dave Challinor’s programme notes cited the fact that Pools boast the best home record in England in 2021 having won 16 of their last 18 league fixtures at Victoria Park.

Now it’s 17 wins in 19 after sublime goals from Tyler Burey and Gavan Holohan helped secure a 2-1 win over The Cumbrians.

On a rare afternoon where all four of the North East’s EFL sides kicked off at home at 3pm on a Saturday, Pools shone in front of a bumper crowd of 6,112.

Even an hour before kick-off Poolies were seeping into the stands, readying themselves for a big afternoon.

The usual set list of chants including ‘Allez, Allez, Allez,’ ‘Challinor’s blue and white army’ and ‘We’ve got an Irish midfielder’ was interjected with a topical rendition ‘Carlisle get battered everywhere they go’ – a fitting precursor of what was to follow…

Team news

As expected, Challinor refrained from making any changes for the match given last weekend’s comfortable 2-0 victory over Walsall.

The Football League’s youngest strike force of Tyler Burey and Will Goodwin continued to lead the line.

Zaine Francis-Angol also kept his place on the left of the back three – the first time he’s had back to back starts since joining the club.

On the bench, Martin Smith and Reagan Ogle kept their place on the bench after playing 90-minutes in the 2-0 friendly win over Middlesbrough earlier in the week. There was no place for Fela Olomola or Joe Grey after recovering from their respective injuries.

The game

It took Carlisle just three minutes to find the back of the net but it was quickly ruled out for handball against Zach Clough, who was booked as a result.

Pools’ midfield three of Nicky Featherstone, Gavan Holohan and Mark Shelton helped give Pools an early foothold in the game with zippy interchanges on the ball and plenty of pressure off it.

And it took the hosts just 13-minutes to find a breakthrough with man of the moment Burey curling the ball sumptuously into the top right corner from 20-yards.

The attacking effectiveness of wing-back pairing Jamie Sterry and David Ferguson was on full show once again as the former switched play to his teammate on the opposite flank.

Ferguson then did brilliantly to keep play alive by turning Carlisle full-back George Tanner and picking out Will Goodwin inside the penalty area. The 19-year-old striker then smartly laid the ball off for Burey to net his third in as many games.

The youthful combination of Burey and Goodwin may not be the answer to Pools’ issues up front in the long run but it has certainly helped relieve the pressure.

A makeshift strike force of a 19 and 20-year-old neither of whom had scored a professional goal prior to arriving at Pools has no right to be as good or effective as they’re proving to be.

Burey is certainly more winger than striker but his finishing ability combined with his explosive all action approach is the perfect foil for Goodwin’s more nuanced and mature forward play.

With the lead, Pools looked the more likely side to grab a second as they restricted Carlisle to very little.

They had a great chance to make it 2-0 as half-time approached with Sterry fizzing a ball across goal which Shelton turned agonisingly over at the back post.

Pools would live to rue that miss as Carlisle went the other end and found an equaliser with their first shot on target. Jack Armer’s low cross from the left was turned in with a deft volleyed finish from Clough.

The first goal Pools had conceded at Victoria Park saw Clough ghost unmarked to the edge of the six-yard box before finding the net.

An avoidable goal from Pools’ perspective as they had to dust themselves off and go again as they had little to show for their controlling first half display after switching off for one brief moment.

But to Pools’ credit they responded well in the second half, limiting Carlisle but struggling to find a breakthrough themselves.

It would take something special to decide the game with just over 20-minutes remaining.

“We’ve got an Irish midfielder,” echoed around Victoria Park as Sterry launched a long throw into the penalty area.

Carlisle failed to clear the danger just as the crowd chanted “his name is Gavan Holohan” with an almost commentary like quality as the midfielder chested the ball on the edge of the box before whipping a splendid volley into the top left corner.

A goal worthy of winning any game and one that would cap off a great day for everyone connected with Hartlepool as the side saw the game out with relative ease.

All those doubts and concerns following a shaky pre-season have been alleviated just four games into the new campaign. Pools are winning games not though luck or even resolve but by simply outplaying their opponents – showing they are more than capable of holding their own in League Two.

The celebrations lasted well beyond the full-time whistle as fans remained in the ground to savour every last drop of the atmosphere with Neil Diamond’s Sweet Caroline fittingly blasting out over the PA.

The good times never seemed so good.

Pools XI: Killip; Ferguson, Francis-Angol, Liddle, Byrne, Sterry; Featherstone, Shelton (Daly 65), Holohan; Burey (Ogle 81), Goodwin (Molyneux 65)

Pools subs: Cullen, Mitchell, Odusina, Smith

Pools bookings: None

Carlisle XI: Norman; Tanner, Armer, McDonald, Riley, Guy, Clough (Alessandra 73), Mellish, Abrahams (Young 73), Feeney (Dickenson 73), Whelan

Carlisle subs: Devine, Mampala, Toure, Jensen

Carlisle bookings: Clough (3)

Referee: Andy Woolmer

Attendance: 6,112

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