Hartlepool United 3-1 Harrogate Town: Winger reborn, midfielder off the mark and a significant return - the key takeaways from FA Cup success

Keith Curle’s side put in their best performance of the season as they ran out 3-1 winners over the Sulphurites.

Josh Umerah scored twice to take his tally to 10 for the season after Callum Cooke had opened the scoring with his first goal for the club.

Harrogate were reduced to 10 men on the stroke of half-time when defender Joe Mattock was shown a second yellow card for bringing down Umerah in the penalty area - the striker picking himself up to score from the spot to double Hartlepool’s lead.

And here are some of the key takeaways from the win.

Performance of the season

There’s good reason to suggest this was Hartlepool’s best performance of the season - after all, there’s not much competition.

Speaking post-match, winger Jake Hastie highlighted the importance of starting the game on the front foot with a higher intensity. It’s something which had been suggested by Cooke in the build up to the game and Reghan Tumilty prior to the defeat at Barrow.

Interim boss Curle has often reiterated the need for his side to string consecutive 45 minute performances together. Here, they all got their wish.

But for one or two speculative diagonal balls from Harrogate, Hartlepool were on top from the get-go.

Chris Missilou pressed from the front and helped force a number of careless losses in possession. Hastie, too, was alert and a yard ahead of his opposite number, driving at the defence.

Pools had 19 attempts at goal, only bettered by the first round replay with Solihull Moors (20) - a game which went to extra-time and penalties. At 57 per cent, it was Hartlepool’s third highest possession count of the season whilst also limiting Harrogate to just four efforts on goal - the joint lowest against them this season alongside Gillingham in September - the Gills having only scored six goals in 19 league games this season.

It was the first time they have scored three goals in a game since March’s 3-2 win at Newport County, the first at home since the 3-1 success over Barrow in February and, to answer Curle's question, the first time they have led 3-0 in a game since the Papa Johns Trophy win against Sheffield Wednesday 12 months ago.

And they could have had more; Umerah flashed a header wide and brought a good save from Pete Jameson, Hastie worked Jameson on a couple of occasions while Jack Hamilton was superbly denied in the closing stages.

Hartlepool haven’t won enough games, and they haven’t scored enough goals, in 2022 so when they do, it should be one to saviour.

Cooke off the mark

Players like Cooke will always be judged on their goals and assists output so for the 25-year-old to get off the mark is important.

Cooke was at the heart of everything good from Hartlepool in what appeared as something of a free role in midfield. He picked the ball up in those pockets of space between Harrogate’s midfield and defence and put the defence on the back foot with a number of driving runs, including the one which won the free kick in which he scored from.

It was one of those positions which can be considered too close to get the ball over the wall and back down again so, instead, Cooke opted for power and blasted through the Harrogate wall and goalkeeper Jameson.

It was his pressing which allowed Pools to capitalise on a loose ball just minutes later where he threaded a ball into the path of Umerah who was brought down for the penalty. Cooke also had a hand in the third goal when picking up space on the edge of the box before finding Joe Grey who assisted Umerah.

But those little exchanges have been emerging in recent weeks as he has enjoyed a run in the team. In the league fixture at Harrogate, Cooke came off the bench to assist Umerah while in the FA Cup tie at Solihull he found Umerah again with an excellently floated pass which the striker would, on that occasion, miss.

Those partnerships will be crucial for Hartlepool moving forwards and, despite occupying a more reserved role than he is accustomed to, there are signs of progress. The hope being a performance like this will release any personal pressure he might have instilled upon himself.

Menayese importance

Across the board you could single out players but the return of Rollin Menayese was significant.

It was significant in that Euan Murray missed out through injury meaning Pools would have been without a single established centre-back, and it was significant in that he has been a big miss in defence.

The Walsall loanee has been out since the 2-1 win over Doncaster Rovers but showed little signs of trouble with his ankle issues as he marshalled the defence well.

Twice in the first half Menayese showed his pace to get the better of Luke Armstrong and usher him out of play whilst there was very little panic when in possession of the ball.

His calming influence and organisation appeared to rub off on the rest of the back four including David Ferguson who enjoyed, arguably, his best game as a stand-in centre-back.

Hastie’s rebirth

When Hastie arrived from Rangers in the summer he was the one signing who brought with him an air of enthusiasm. The potential was there.

But so far it has been a struggle for the winger as he has lost his place in the side. The 6-0 defeat to Everton in the Papa Johns Trophy being a particular low point for Hasite where his work ethic and attitude were brought into question.

Since then, however, having had discussions with interim boss Curle who offered him something of an olive branch, Hastie has been a man reborn in Hartlepool.

His substitute appearance in the replay with Solihull saw him chase back with a lung-busting run to make a defensive tackle, which garnered applause from the stands and, likely, played a part in him being considered for a starting place at Barrow.

Despite what was a difficult day for Hartlepool, Hastie was one of few who came out of the defeat at Holker Street with much credit, reinforced by Curle’s decision to stick with him here against Harrogate.

And it was a decision which Hastie repaid as he showed the kind of zip and flair in his play we expected, but have not seen. Off the ball he worked his socks off. On the ball he caused Harrogate problems, coming close to scoring his own first goal for the club on one or two occasions. It was his driving run inside from the right which led to Hartlepool’s third of the game and there was a buzz and a spring in his step post-match.

Much like the rest of the team, this has to be a platform for him to build on.