CHRIS Turner has no worries about the long-term future of Hartlepool United - and now the short-term doesn't look too bad either.

Saturday's victory stroll over York lifted Pool off the foot of the Division Three table as they finally saw their display end up with the result they deserve after a frustrating run of results.

You won't find anyone at Victoria Park getting carried away by a straight-forward win over a woeful side, but the psychological burden of holding up the Football League has been eased and now he table doesn't look so bad.

Just three points separate Pool and 12th placed Scunthorpe and Pool have a game in hand on all the teams in that pack immediately above them.

Now with back to back away games coming up, Pool know they can't afford to allow that gap to widen as they go to Torquay and Macclesfield in the next eight days.

But it's the overall picture Turner is looking at - and after home-grown Adam Boyd netted two to go with Mark Tinkler's first-half header the Pool boss backed his young guns to make a big impact in the seasons to come.

Boyd has frustrated Turner in the last two seasons, but the Pool chief now feels the Hartlepool-born 20-year-old is growing up and finally starting to show the ability that has been held back amid a series of off-field problems.

"Adam is playing the best football since I came to the club,'' said Turner.

"His ability has never been a problem and he has worked hard to get fit to last 90 minutes, but playing up front with Gordon Watson is a Godsend for Adam.

"He talks him through games and he will learn things and become a better player for it.''

Turner, whose former club Wolves are now reaping the rewards of his stint as youth coach at Molineux, was able to give Tony Sweeney a taste of first-team football on Saturday and with Mark Robinson looking like he's played at wing-back for longer than his 20 years, Turner is taking great heart.

"I've said during the week that the football club is at its best stage since I came here,'' he said.

"I know we are at the bottom of the League, but there's good, young players in the youth team and the reserve team are winning games.

"Of course, the first team not winning blankets it all, but things are looking strong.

"When you think that against York there was Mark Robinson, Adam Boyd and Tony Sweeney who all came through the ranks and all will become very good players.

"A club like ours has got to produce it's own players and with Martin Scott in charge of the youth side and Colin West here we know that in the next three or four years we will become stronger and stronger.

"My disappointment is how people put a big question mark against you after a bad spell when we have had two and a half years of success. But was delighted with the crowd and they realise what we can achieve here.

"Just because we had a bad start to the season all is not lost and there's been plenty of people who have said it will turn around.''

Turner was fuming after last week's defeat at Rushden. Defensive mistakes cost Pool dear that night, but on Saturday it was his York counterpart left to rue his back line failings.

Pool scored three, but could easily have doubled their tally against a side that crumbled once Mark Tinkler headed Pool in front.

York's Christian Fox cannoned a shot against Anthony Williams' upright after two minutes, but that aside, Williams was untroubled.

Tommy Widdrington was teed up by the returning Paul Arnison and after his shot was blocked, Graeme Lee chipped into the area for Tinkler to steer a header beyond Alan Fettis.

With the goal came the confidence and from then on there was never any doubt about the score.

Two minutes after the break Boyd made it two. Watson crossed from the right and his strike partner got in front of Chris Brass to steer home.

But if that goal was bad from York's point of view, the next one was a nightmare. Santa Claus normally comes in December dressed in red. On Saturday he was at Victoria Park wearing yellow with the number 20 on his back.

Robinson's cross was headed away from danger before John Fielding inexplicably decided to stick out a leg and divert the ball into the path of the unmarked Boyd six yards out.

That was the last seen of Fielding as he was swiftly hauled off by Dolan.

Widdrington hit the post from another Robinson cross and York were demoralised. They were third in August, on this display they'll be lucky to finish third bottom.

The visiting fans spent the remainder of the game baying for Dolan's head. The home crowd sang Turner's praises and how he must have enjoyed a private chuckle because surely these weren't the same that have been so quick to criticise this season

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