Carlisle United boost Hartlepool United's play-off hopes with FC Halifax Town win
The latest results from across the National League as Hartlepool United look to keep alive their play-off hopes.
Hartlepool United’s hopes of reaching the National League play-offs have taken a number of blows in recent weeks - but there was a boost on Tuesday night as one top seven rival suffered a home defeat.
FC Halifax Town went into their home clash with third placed Carlisle United needing to claim all three points to strengthen their grip on the sixth and final play-off spot. However, Cumbrians striker Regan Linney grabbed the only goal of the game at The Shay and that means Pools can move within two points of Halifax if they can take the honours in Wednesday night’s visit to struggling Morecambe. However, Nicky Featherstone and his players will also have one eye on Southend United as the eighth placed Shrimpers will leapfrog the Shaymen if they claim all three points in their home game with Woking.
Elsewhere on Tuesday night, former Gateshead and Barrow midfielder Regan Booty scored from the halfway line as Boreham Wood remained in fourth place in the table with a 2-1 win at Aldershot Town and Boston United and Altrincham battled to a 2-2 draw in a meeting of two sides sitting either side of the halfway point in the table. Sutton United opened up an eight-point advantage on the sides in the bottom four with a 2-0 win at Eastleigh and Brackley Town slipped into the drop zone after they could only claim a point in their 2-2 home draw with Altrincham.
That result allowed Gateshead to climb out of the relegation places after they produced the result and performance of the night with a stunning 3-1 home win against title contenders York City. The Heed took the lead just before half-time with a goal from midfielder Keaton Ward before adding to their lead when substitutes Ash Boatswain and Louis Storey both found the net in the second-half. Ollie Pearce grabbed an injury-time consolation goal for the Minstermen - but that was as good as it got as Gateshead boosted their hopes of preserving their National League status.
Positive
Speaking after the game, Heed boss Rob Elliot said: “The lads deserve every credit and every positive word you can talk about. Proud, determined, fantastic, excellent. They’ve played against the best team in the league but I felt we were the better team. We knew they’d have passages of play and plenty of crosses into the box but they never really hurt us.
“We limited them to crosses from wide areas and, of course, they are going to have opportunities, they have top players and I think they’ll go on to win the league. However, we can only control what we can control and I thought we were superb in and out of possession and we carried the better chances and took them - and that’s what you have to do against this type of team.”
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