ROBBIE WILLIAMS rifled home a peach of a winner as Town really rolled their sleeves up to earn another three-point haul.

The left-back fired home right-footed in the 67th minute to seal a come-from-behind fifth successive victory.

Lee Clark’s side, now third in League I, had trailed to Gary Liddle’s 19th-minute header as resolute Hartlepool set out their stall to frustrate their hosts.

But a sizzling start to the second half meant Town were back on level terms in the 54th minute, when Peter Hartley put through his own goal under pressure from Nathan Clarke after Anthony Pilkington’s free-kick crashed against the right-hand upright, with the frame still shaking as the ball went in.

Four minutes earlier, Pilkington had drilled a set-piece from a similar position against the bar, and it was the right winger’s pass which set up Williams for the winner.

Two would-be challengers were left trailing before the 25-year-old unleashed a sweetly-struck shot which flew past his former Barnsley teammate Scott Flinders in the Pools goal.

It was a third of the season and a seventh in total for Town from a player who was quick to point out he scored with his right for Blackpool at the Galpharm in 2007.

Williams helped the Seasiders win promotion that season, and as much as the 6-0 defeat of Wycombe in the previous match, this win shows Town have what it takes to follow suit.

They had to dig deep against dangerous and determined opponents, but showed patience, character and desire to get their deserved rewards.

Chris Turner’s team came to the stadium in ninth place and on a run of five league games without defeat, and having gone ahead when Liddle rose to head home from Neil Austin’s free-kick, awarded for a handball by Nathan Clarke, defended with gusto.

While Andy Monkhouse came close to doubling to the lead in the 19th minute, when Clarke cleared his goalbound effort from Colin Larkin’s cross, tackles flew in and bodies were thrown in the way of the ball as Town toiled without coming that close to a breakthrough.

Antony Kay headed over and had a shot blocked, Jordan Rhodes shot too high and Lee Novak’s glancing header was cleared, while the home fans’ patience was further tested by the visitors’ delaying tactics. which led to an additional four minutes, during which Clarke produced another key block to deny James Brown.

But it was a different story in the second half as Town maintained a high tempo throughout and ground Hartlepool down.

Williams was wide from the edge of the area just a minute after the restart, and Pilkington’s free-kick against the bar came after a foul by former Town man Sam Collins on Rhodes.

Collins was again the guilty party for the free-kick which led to the leveller, this time fouling Peter Clarke, and while it was Hartlepool’s second own goal at the stadium in as many seasons (Michael Nelson unintentionally made the scoresheet last February), there could be no denying Town deserved their break.

The home side continued to flood forward, and it took a superb tackle from Liddle to stop Michael Collins scoring before the midfielder set up Pilkington, who shot just wide.

Alex Smithies saved from substitute Leon McSweeney as Hartlepool mounted a rare counter-attack in the 66th minute, but within 60 seconds, Town were in front through Williams’ wonder effort.

Kay again tried his luck before substitute Theo Robinson missed the chance to make it three when Rhodes’ cross squirted off his boot.

Gary Roberts (twice) and Peter Clarke both came close, but Town had to be satisfied with just the two goals, which takes their home tally to 22 in five outings, equalling the club’s best-ever mark set in 1952-53 – a promotion campaign!

Clark’s men have also set a club record for the highest total in their first nine home games, the 28 bettering the tally of 1933-34 by one.

Click here for a gallery of action shots from Saturday's game.

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