West Brom winger reflects on blistering loan spell at Pools following sixth goal of impressive stint

Cleary, who turned 21 earlier this month, had a hand in all three goals as Pools blitzed play-off chasing Heed to win for the fourth time in six matches. The wideman's free-kick proved too hot to handle for Gateshead goalkeeper Tiernan Brooks ahead of Luke Charman's opening goal while Brooks, who endured a nightmarish afternoon, spilled Cleary's venomous second half strike straight into the path of Mani Dieseruvwe, who made it 3-1 to the hosts 18 minutes from time. The West Brom loanee got in on the act himself, scoring his side's second goal just before the break when he squeezed the ball underneath the hapless Brooks following a fluid Pools move.

It was an impressive response from Cleary, who endured a rare difficult afternoon on Good Friday when he was effectively marked out of the game by Oldham's Jake Caprice. Given his excellent form over the last few months, it's little surprise that teams have tried to stop him by whatever means but Cleary managed to bounce back in style, running Gateshead ragged despite some rough and ready defending from Luke Hannant.

Following a challenging loan spell at League Two promotion-chasers Walsall earlier in the season when he was limited to just a handful of substitute appearances, Cleary has announced himself to the footballing world thanks to a scintillating few months at the Prestige Group Stadium, scoring six goals in 18 games despite being asked to operate in an altogether unfamiliar wing-back role. The youngster is out of contract at parent club West Brom in the summer but has often spoken of his determination to earn a new deal at the Hawthorns; failing that, then he isn't likely to have any shortage of suitors from throughout the Football League.

All that of course means that Pools fans, much as they might love to keep hold of Cleary beyond the end of this season, will simply have to make do with enjoying the young winger while they can. Anthony Limbrick's side have two more games to go this term, with Cleary looking to help Pools end a turbulent season on a positive note while making a final case for a new contract in the West Midlands. Anyone watching him on Easter Monday would have been supremely impressed, both with his attacking work as well as his diligent defending, with Cleary drawing rapturous applause following a lung-busting run towards the end of the first half to thwart a Gateshead counter-attack. For Cleary himself, it was a welcome return to form after a challenging start to the Easter weekend on Good Friday.

"Following on from the Oldham game, we knew the legs were going to be tired but we had to dig in today," he told BBC Radio Tees Sport.

"We knew Gateshead like to play a lot of football, so we had to be patient and then capitalise on our chances and I think that we did that.

"The Oldham game was a learning curve for me. I think it's now just about mixing it up, bringing other players like Mani (Dieseruvwe) and Joe (Grey) into play. Joe Grey loves to run in-behind and I know he can beat people one v one. I just want to mix things up so that teams can't see what's coming.

"Just because I've come from a Championship club, nothing changes and I stay humble. I put my heart on the line every game.

"Hartlepool's brought my confidence back. Obviously I was at Walsall in the first half of the season, no disrespect to them, they were playing well at the time, winning every week and it was hard for me being out of the team. When I came to Hartlepool it was a reset and a chance to go again. The fans and the players have helped me to get my confidence back."

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