KEV’S FULL OF JOY FOR ACE JOEL IN COMEBACK
HARTLEPOOL United goalkeeper Joel Dixon was given a special mention by head coach Kevin Phillips after Hartlepool United came from behind to beat Boreham Wood.
It looked like Pools were in for a tough day when Cameron Coxe rolled the ball into the area with just 10 SECONDS on the clock and Kabongo Tshimanga turned his marker before finishing low.
But Pools responded well and deservedly levelled things up when Joe Grey calmly finished after a slide-rule Callum Cooke at the end of the first half.
Dixon made a stunning stop to prevent Wood substitute Angelo Balanta restoring the visitors’ lead.
But it was Hartlepool who benefitted with Mani Dieseruvwe’s header beating Nathan Ashmore for 2-1, and his 19th goal of the season was followed five minutes later by the outstanding Luke Waterfall’s lovely finish to complete the comeback.
Phillips, who has lost just one of his opening six league games in charge, said: “This is an excellent result and I’m delighted for the players because of the set-back away at Woking last week when we conceded late.
“The only way you sort that is by winning the next week and this was a fantastic result with some really good stuff in there. It’s pleasing.
“It wasn’t the start we were looking for, it happens. I would rather concede in the first minute than the 95th. The response I got was excellent.
“I kissed Joel on the head at the end because he has been unbelievable for me. The team’s confidence is high. The biggest thing is we enjoy this and we go again Tuesday against Altrincham. We are in a good place at the moment.”
Hartlepool, in tenth, are six points shy of the play-offs now, while Wood are four further back after slipping further behind.
That didn’t look like being the case after Tshimanga’s lovely finish – his first goal since moving from Peterborough at the start of the month – and there were further first half chances through Matt Robinson and Kwesi Appiah.
Had Balanta not been denied then things might have turned out differently before Dieseruvwe and Waterfall sealed the points for Hartlepool.
Wood boss Garrard said: “The first half we deserved to be losing even though we went ahead. We were fortunate to be 1-1. They had the majority of the game from 15 minutes onwards, they stuck it on us.
“Then we were the better side second half and had a mad five minutes, that’s been all season.
“My fear is that if you concede one you can quickly concede a second and that’s what happened late on. They finished 3-1 and it is a frustration.
“Joel made a great save from Balanta but there is enough experience in there to make sure that if we don’t win, we make sure we don’t lose.”