TOWN ARE BECK IN BUSINESS
HARROGATE Town bounced back to winning ways in front of the BT Sport cameras with a comfortable win over a rather newlook Hartlepool at The CNG Stadium.
Goals from Lloyd Kerry and Jack Muldoon put Town in control, despite George Thomson missing a penalty, and although Nicke Kabamba’s debut goal gave Pools a lifeline just before the hour, Mark Beck netted a third to to ensure the points.
“At both ends we were better,” Town boss Simon Weaver said. “We’ve tweaked it a little bit during the difficult spell and gone with an extra number in midfield.
“I thought we got on it more, all three midfielders are good on the ball; we wanted to control games a little bit more and we did here.”
Pools chief Richard Money handed debuts to all three of his new signings this week; Luke Molyneux, Kabamba and centreback Michael Raynes, while Weaver named the same starting line-up that beat Dover in the FA Trophy last weekend.
Kerry’s first goal since February 2017 gave Town a fourth minute lead, the midfielder managing to block Raynes’ clearance and beat Scott Loach from close range.
The home side were well on top at this stage and had a glorious chance to extend their lead on 21 minutes referee Marc Edwards spotted a tug on Beck’s shirt and quickly pointing to the spot, but Loach managed to keep out Thomson’s spot-kick to deny him a third goal of 2019.
Having gained a foothold in the game, Hartlepool created a chance of their own midway through the half but James Belshaw kept out Kabamba’s header.
And Town made them pay dearly five minutes into the second half when Kerry won possession high up the pitch, paving the way for Muldoon to smash home his 13th goal of the season.
But, within seven minutes, the deficit was halved again – Mark Kitching’s deep cross falling kindly to Kabamba, who fired past the advancing Belshaw for his first goal since joining from Havant & Waterlooville. But any hopes of a comeback were dashed on 68 minutes when Muldoon beat his man on the left and found Beck who sent a looping header in via the underside of the bar.
Both sides created chances in the final exchanges with Jake Cassidy skimming the crossbar for Pools, while Kerry was denied a second by Loach when through one-on-one.
Money admitted: “The best team won, they were better than us in every aspect.
“They are a team that has been together a while. They look like a well-oiled, well-drilled team who know what they're doing.
“They passed it well, they moved well and we, in contrast, looked like what we are at the minute – a bunch of strangers.”