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A vintage performance by Town at the Galpharm Stadium on a Saturday afternoon as terrific Town edged a tremendous tussle with Hartlepool, which Peter Jackson described at Town?s biggest test yet.

Pawel Abbott with his sixth in six consecutive games and Danny Schofield grabbed two first half goals in a good first half performance by the Terriers and though Hartlepool seem revitalized in the second half and Town being put under the cosh for long spells, they battled for a victory that has taken Town joint top of League One, second on goal difference.

A few hours before the game Town were drawn away in the second round of the Carling Cup away to Premiership Blackburn Rovers.
Town?s line up saw Andy Holdsworth match fit for the game as he was taken off injured in the midweek game with Chesterfield, Tom Clarke was along side his brother Nathan at the heart of the defence replacing the injured Martin McIntosh, captain Jon Worthington returned to the starting line up after being out at Chesterfield.
Michael Collins was in for the injured Mark Hudson along side Worthington and hat-trick hero Gary Taylor-Fletcher was along side Pawel Abbott up front.

Hartlepool had Eifion Williams back after injury, Mark Tinkler was left out of the squad altogether, Hartlepool?s star of last season Adam Boyd was left on the bench after revelations in the paper that he has been a naughty boy playing away with another man?s wife and running round a housing estate with nothing but a t-shirt on being chased by an irate husband.

Town turned in a blistering start running last season?s beaten play-off finalists ragged at times.
Taylor-Fletcher and Nathan Clarke threatened in which Town has successive corners, but Pawel Abbott cracked in his sixth goal in six consecutive games, the first Town player to do so after just 13 minutes.

Nathan Clarke swept up a Hartlepool attack to the play the ball wide for Andy Holdsworth. The full back measured his long ball pass perfectly for Abbott, who paced away from the defenders and drove in a gem of a shot low and wide of Greek keeper Dimitrios Konstantopoulos.
Town were on fire and tore in Hartlepool looking to add to their goal tally, Schofield having the north east side backpeddling as he displayed his skills, running at the Hartlepool defence, while in midfield Town were dominant.

Schofield?s raking pass saw Taylor-Fletcher promise again then a Nathan Clarke free kick caused tantrums in the Pool?s defence.
Abbott and Chris Brandon were involved in the goal mouth scramble but it was Schofield who cashed in, quick as lightening, picking the ball up and creating himself space before smashing the ball into the back of the net with only 17 minutes gone Town found themselves 2-0 up.

Town?s possession had the fans chanting their approval and Abbott, twice and Brandon fired shots off target to the relief of the travelling away supporters.
Hartlepool regrouped before in the interval but it carried on into the second half, pilling the pressure and proving even more dangerous through the naughty boy himself Adam Boyd, Pool?s top marksman last season who was sent on after only 46 minutes, a minute into the second half.

Boyd drove a spectacular shot to pull one back for the visitors on 51 minutes, Picking up the ball outside the box and rifled a rising shot that Paul Rachubka hardly saw, Showing that Boyd scored twice this week but one was not on the football pitch. But all credit to brothers Nathan and Tom Clarke who held firm against the visitors.

17-year old Tom Clarke, back in the first team in place of injured Martin McIntosh, Young Tom handled the pressure well with a cool head of a veteran.
It meant there was no further break through for the Pool, Indeed they were fortunate to get away with just a one goal beating.

Town should have put the game to bed as in the last 15 minutes Abbott and Schofield twice had chances each that they failed to convert and Taylor-Fletcher had a chance but blasted in straight at Konstantopoulos after some slick play by the Terriers.

A good 3 points for the Terriers at they head to Doncaster on bank holiday Monday who last 2-0 at Vale Park. Town played some good football and as long as they keep this up and Abbott keeps banging in the goals then Town should have no problem challenging for promotion. Rumours have been circling that Sheffield United scouts were watching Abbott at Chesterfield in midweek as they lost out on Richard Creswell.

Sean?s Star Man: Tom Clarke- Did really well back in the first team replaced someone as experienced as McIntosh.

Teams:

Town: Rachubka, Holdsworth, N Clarke, T Clarke, Adams, Brandon, Worthington, Collins (Carrs 70), Schofield, Taylor-Fletcher, Abbott.
Subs not used: Senior, McCombe, McAliskey, Mendes.

Hartlepool: Konstantopoulos, Nelson, Butler, Proctor, Humphreys (Llwellyn 77), Strachan (Bullock 46), Daly (Boyd 46), Sweeney, Robson, Williams, Collins.
Subs not used: Clark, Provett.

Attendance: 11,241
Referee: S Mathieson (Stockport)

If you have any comments or anything about this report please e-mail me at sean.makin@terrier-bytes.com