Town’s visits to Hartlepool have proved tough

Feb 19 2010 by Dougie Thomson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

TOWN’S recent visits to Hartlepool have proved tough.

The Galpharm club have suffered three successive defeats at Victoria Park, 5-3 last time around, 2-1 in 2007-08 and 3-1 in 2005-06, when current development coach Paul Stephenson was in charge of Pools.

Town’s last win at the venue was in 2004-05, when Andy Booth scored the only goal of the game.

Hartlepool, also formed in 1908, were among the opponents on Town’s first-ever fixture list in the North-Eastern League.

Pools won 4-1 in their home game before a goalless draw at Leeds Road.

Wartime football brought further meetings, but the first competitive clash didn’t take place until 1965-66, when Pools, with a young Brian Clough at the helm, were beaten 3-1 in the third round of the FA Cup.

The first league meeting came in 1975-76, when Town’s 2-0 win at Leeds Road was followed by a 1-1 draw at Victoria Park in which Terry Gray scored.

There have been 30 previous competitive clashes in all, with Town winning 17 and Hartlepool eight.

Lee Clark’s side were 2-1 winners over Pools at the Galpharm in November.

Gary Liddle gave the visitors an 18th-minute lead.

But Town hit back, levelling through Peter Hartley’s own goal in the 56th minute before Robbie Williams’ winner 10 minutes later.