Hartlepool 3, Huddersfield Town 1

Mar 11 2006 By The Huddersfield Daily Examiner

Town could have been 3-1 up at the turn, but ended up losing by that score after a shocking slump during the second 45.

Both sides needed to win for different reasons, but unfortunately it was relegation-threatened Hartlepool who looked the hungrier.

And Town will have to find a big improvement if they are to rekindle their challenge for automatic promotion by beating Rotherham, another side fighting for League I survival, at the Galpharm a week today.

At least their showing between the 10th minute, when the home side went ahead through Adam Boyd, and half-time gives boss Peter Jackson something to work on.

During that period, the visitors looked like a team with genuine promotion aspirations, and while David Graham grabbed one goal, his sixth in eight Town appearances, he could have had up to half a dozen.

Having shot wide from a Danny Schofield corner before Boyd fired Pool in front from a low Ritchie Humphreys cross, Graham will have been disappointed at scuffing a 17th-minute effort straight at Greek goalkeeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos after lovely interplay between Andy Booth and the lively Chris Brandon.

That poor finish was forgiven when the Scotsman drew Town level with a 22nd-minute beauty after good play by Brandon and Mark Hudson.

Receiving the ball with his back to goal, Graham's trickery bemused two home defenders, and the on-loan Sheffield Wednesday man finished with a left-foot curler into the keeper's right-hand corner.

Town had a let-off when Boyd's shot hit Phil Senior's left-hand upright and bounced back into play on 27 minutes.