Went today. Enjoyed it strangely despite the result. Hartlepool gets some bad press but really enjoyed my trip up. Really great set of fans, some great places to visit (spent a few hours on Seaton Carew beach before going the Historic Quay and Museum) and Victoria Park is a nice, tidy little ground too.

Anyway the game. Superb goal to put us ahead at half time and we created one or two decent opportunities first half. In all honesty without wanting to be disrespectful to Hartlepool I thought at no point until they scored did we ever look in danger of conceding. It was as comfortable as you can get and although we were guilty of faffing around with the ball too much at times and not making the best of our attacks second half, I felt pretty confident of taking the 3 points. They were workmanlike but we just passed the ball around well and they couldn't get much going forward.

Then they break with an excellent move and it's 1-1 from pretty much nothing. We didn't steady the ship and they got a second (also excellently worked and finished) soon after. They were then first to most balls, their energy was better and they really in simple terms looked like they suddenly wanted it more. That was the concern for me, that we visibly looked a beaten side after the second and rarely created anything in response. They broke again in injury time and wrapped it up.

Hartlepool were incisive when they had their few opportunities at getting forward and provided 3 superb goals and overall deserved the victory and best of luck to them although i'm extremely disappointed that it hinders our play off chances.

I did think that we should have been awarded a penalty from a couple of shouts. One clearly not and the other was in the 'I've seen them given' mould.

Great City turnout. Being a newish fan and not been to many games I was impressed with that given the distance. Also had to laugh at and clap the lads 'number 42' song about their keeper Fryer. They kept it going right until the end so fair play! . We're 4 points off 3rd spot and still in the play offs so no harm done. It's still an amazing position to be in with just two months of the season to go and that win moves Pools 6 points clear of 2nd bottom too and I hope they stay up as i'd definitely go again next season should we fail to get promoted.

Nice to see the town get a bit of praise.

A good read that....enjoyed it!!!!

Not many come to the town and praise it! I think Coxall has found a target market for his hotel, may not be enough to make a profit from though.

I've had nothing but good experiences with Exeter fans. Nice bunch. Heard they love newly built hotels near football grounds in northern outposts.

We're similar sized clubs too and tbf they're a good model for our own long term progress as a club

Their manager's dress sense is almost as impressive as Dave Jones's too.

Brilliant post glad you enjoyed and really wouldn't argue with much you said.

Good Luck for the remainder of the season.

Exeter are one of those teams/places it is hard to dislike. Might make the effort to go there again next season if we are still in the same league.

Comes across as a decent fella that Exeter fan. Nice to see he's able to provide a balanced report as opposed to the usual 'how can we get beat by that shower of shit' type bollocks.

I took the lad to Exeter in August and everyone who I spoke with was spot on. Glad it didn't rain

Funnily enough we did similar yesterday to what we did at their place - went 1-0 down then scored 2 in quick succession.

Always had a soft spot for Exeter since that 0-0 draw there in 1968.