Familiar face keeps up with the Jones’

DAVE JONES was denied victory on his first home game in charge ...by a Hartlepool old-boy.

Yeovil midfielder Matty Dolan was born in Hartlepool and, as a Middlesbrough player, had two loan spells at his hometown club.

But he made no mistake from 12 yards when the Glovers were given a second-half penalty.

“Matty’s taken penalties before and up against his old club it was a good opportunity for him and it shows he can handle pressure,’’ said Glovers’ boss Darren Way.

“We are really pleased and we were the better team, we deserved the three points in the second half, but put these points together with three at home in midweek against Plymouth and we are be in a good place.

“That was good character, the performance, second-half, was good.

“We spoke about preparation after playing Tuesday. They have a new boss and didn’t play Tuesday.

“This is a tough place to come, mentally and physically and we looked fitter them then towards the end.’’

Louis Rooney, signed from Plymouth on loan until the end of the campaign, sent an early shot into the arms of keeper Artur Krysiak.

Pools gave debuts to two new loan signings – Rooney and Andrew Nelson from Sunderland – and both men impressed.

Rooney went close on two occasions, denied a tap-in by keeper Krysiak and then after skirting around the keeper, covering defender Darren Ward slid in to clear.

Pools took the lead when Nelson’s deep cross from the right was met by Padraig Amond to head home his 11th of the season, with his angled header looping over Krysiak.

The advantage only lasted five minutes as Nelson felled Francois Zoko in the area for Dolan to net.

Dolan almost won it too, his freekick from 20 yards kept out by keeper Adam Bartlett.

Jones said: “We have to manage games better and for 70-75 minutes I couldn’t fault them. We were compact and moved the ball well and the young lad got isolated and he needed more help around him.

“We gave them a chance to come back into it and they did it. We competed against the big men better than last week.

“Yeovil didn’t create many chances, the late free-kick was about it. In open play? I can’t remember many.

“They grew into the game, we needed to manage it better. Young players want to do well and they show inexperience at times.’’