Hawkins over Woods for me every time. Given Woods once cost 6 million I am forever underwhelmed by him. Not that I am not rooting for him it's just his end product lacks. As with Featherstone if we survive and want to progress then we need to rip up centre midfield......unless Jones can improve them.

Till Woods went off we looked lethargic. Once he went and Oates was playing where he should have been playing, different team.
First time I walked out at the end feeling comfortable.

He went to Chelsea with another player in a combined £5mil deal. Still your point stands, he's not a stand out player most of the time. He has the occasional cracking pass in him and he puts himself about but not a player we'd miss if he was released in the summer.

I disagree, I'd miss him. I think with a better midfield around him he's be a cracking player more consistently

It's replacing these players that people would release with better that is the difficult bit, not saying they are not good enough and binning them.

Can't argue that'd he'd be missed if we didn't replace him. He's a steady player, he doesn't usually shy away from challenges to his credit given his injuries but for me our midfield needs changes. That said, so do most other positions!

Oates made a difference up front but I'm not sure the change in midfield did, goals change games and we're a different team once we score.

Exeter deserved everything they got, they went 1-0 up with a goal which probably looks good from their perspective but Kavanagh wasn't fit and should not have started. After the goal they didn't seem interested in scoring again they arrogantly thought 1-0 was enough and just sat behind the ball. If that's all it takes to win 11 away games this league is even worse than I previously thought. How the fook are Carlisle still 3rd for example?

I didn't think it was a penalty before the second we had a good view they went down easily and theatrically all game, three great finishes for our goals the first especially for me to take a deflected shot on the volley with his left foot, very underrated finish.

Jones makes subtle tactical changes all the time, he seems very switched on like that. A great few days now we need to use this momentum and end this awful run away from home.

Agree that Hawkins made a difference when he got on, but the most important change was Kavanagh going off injured. He never looked right and was really poor for their goal. I can't see any reason Richardson was dropped other than inexperience and I hope Jones sticks with him from now on.

I can't decide whether Pools really have turned a corner and nervousness was to blame for starting the two home games so badly, or whether we're just getting some luck at last? Exeter missed two sitters and had a decent penalty shout turned down before Pools had a shot on target and I wouldn't have fancied our chances at all if we'd gone two down.

Orient winning means it's still really tight for the last relegation place but Pools have a chance of pulling everyone from Yeovil down back into it if they keep getting results. Next week at Notts County is 'massive' as the cliche goes.

Newport are down and deserve to be - what a bloody horrible pitch!

No, no, poor description by me - I didn't mean the whole second half, I meant after we scored. We were a different team after we scored

Forgot to mention....how good was it to see a centre forward actually getting off the ground early, beating the centre half to the ball and nodding it on?

No disrespect intended to Paynter because I'd always back him to score given the opportunity but he's more of a back into the defender and buy the foul or hold it up type as opposed to Oates' flick ons.

Enjoyed Oates interview and glad he got subbed off for a standing ovation. Worked his puddings off. That's all we ask.

Funny watching there guy blatantly trying to trip him up in lead up to the 2nd but going down himself.

It was great that Channel Five showed our second goal (because of the penalty appeal, which was never one in a million years) in it's entirety because you can appreciate again just how well Oates did. He showed strength and a lovely turn on the half way line then showed genuine pace to get away and pick the pass to Amond who to be fair still had a bit to do but he did it emphatically. Goal of the season done for me that will take some bettering.

I don't think the lad is a great footballer or even at times even a footballer but I think hr's grafting his way towards a new contract and I he hope he gets one, the real positive of the last few weeks when we've been down to the bare bones is that you've seen lads like Scott Harrison, Rhys Oates and a lad who was completely written off and called worse than shite (who I have always thought was a talented footballer) in Brad Walker really come to fore. I really don't think you can fault the set of lads playing for Pools right now they are putting shift in. The kid at right back was really good when he came on again yesterday, he's growing with every appearance.

I have been saying that Oates is the only one who can jump, he just needs to time the jumps better, usually goes off too soon.
See PJ I was right

I think it's easy to forget when people are emotional and screaming that people are worse than shit and should be scattered/sacked that at Pools these days many of the squad are kids probably on relatively buttons per week trying to make a living. They are not the fat cats of the Prem and Championship or even the Pools squads of 10 years ago. Generally they need encouragement and support and maybe with a bit of confidence and support can do a job. Well done to the lads who may be earning themselves some sort of a future as it's a massive win win for us the fans, the club and of course the young lads themselves

My word what a bellend.

For some reason Oates always reminds me of Peter Crouch, ungainly, a tryer but effective albeit at a lower level.

There were some new faces on the Millhouse terrace, which must have been down to the BOGOF. One group of football purists were having a great time yelling abuse till the game turned around. Typical comment: "Run for it Thomas you lazy get!" - this from a bloke so fat he probably needed a breather after coming up the Millhouse steps.

Just watched the highlights and the second goal was a beauty. For that one and the third it was good to see players running into space as it opened up for them and then being happy to have a shot. Amazing what a bit of confidence can do.

Alessandra is good, isn't he?

Certainly had a brilliant week. If he can play to close to that standard consistently over a season he'll be very good indeed and playing at a higher level. Hopefully that is the sort of thing a manager like Jones can be a big help with.

For somebody who cries when anybody has a go at you, you certainly like to start the fight don`t you, angry little man!