Match report: Huddersfield Town 2 - 1 Hartlepool United
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.
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