Starting to warm to this lad, he's got good energy and presses really well, keeps it simple but does link up play well. After a slow start he's definitely starting to show what he's all about. Thought we played really well and controlled the game in the second half, hopefully we are turning the corner. Also nice to see laing play well, he's certainly a far better option to harrison in my opinion. A much needed win though!.

Newton's goal is being overlooked because of Magnay's wonder cross, but it was a great finish. And I love the way Rhys Oates gets in amongst the opposition - borderline foul on the keeper but great forward play. If he ever gets his stamina to a point where he can play like that for 90 minutes Pools won't be able to hang onto him.

Probably MoM for me tonight. Oates a close second, but to be fair I thought they all put a good shift in. At last they are looking as if they are up for the fight.

Not a foul on their keeper, he didn't have control of the ball and Oates went for a 50/50. The biggest clue was that the keeper didn't complain at all.

Yeah not a foul for me either. Don’t know if he mistimed it or bottled it cos of Oates bearing down on him but either way he just spilt it.

Aye, keeper got to the ball first but it bounced off him so definitely no foul. Keeper dived the wrong way which wont have helped, too scared to get hurt by Oates in my opinion.

2nd goal was also due to him being scared to collide with the post. Utter fucking useless keeper, on the plus side it looked like we had done our homework as we kept dropping corners into the 6 yard box and he was never anywhere to be seen.

On corners I felt both our defenders were a bit static at the far post. Both doing the same thing makes them easy to mark, surely one should be making a late run into that area to get a better jump at crosses.

According to Adam Virgo the second goal was due to him not moving his feet quick enough, he said this loads of time.
But I thought it was him not moving his hand quick enough!!!

Agree with you there Mr Ed, he got across but seemed to lose the flight of the ball and just vaguely waved his arms about. I was quite pissed by then but still had better judgement than Adam Virgo who should be locked in a cold gantry and left to talk to himself until he dies.

It's borderline because of the way the game is refereed these days. In the Premier League going in on the goalie when he's favourite to collect the ball is a foul every time. In the EFL the ref would have blown up 90-95% of the time. Fair play to the ref last night - I'm a big fan of the Bob Newton school of centre forwards (though we'll all be shouting at the ref if the ball is nicked from Loach in a similar situation at the Vic).

I expected the ref to blow up, not because its a foul but because its the easy way out most of the time for refs, plus he seemed to be giving fouls against Oates for fuck all most of the game.

End of the day tho the keeper didnt collect it cleanly without any contact from Oates, good decision by the ref and as someone else said - not even a sign of an appeal from the keeper.

Refs getting praise ! we must of won !

The refs in this league this season have come in for some stick, rightly so in most cases, but the refs in the last few games seem to have been ok.