NEIL AUSTIN: “The club is a big part of the town, a bit old school with the smell of Bovril on the terraces.’’

On Saturday there wasn’t just Bovril you could smell. There was a bit of fear, but later on you could taste the excitement.

Four wins in a row, 12 points from 12, and Hartlepool United are off the bottom of the Football League for the first time since October 25, when they lost at Cambridge.

How ironic that they finally moved up the league ladder after a win over the same opposition.

The 23 matches in between falling bottom and lifting off it have been pure emotion, more downs than ups – until lately that is.

That defeat in October was Paul Murray’s first game in charge. Seven games later he was gone. Ronnie Moore took control on the same day a takeover was announced. That never progressed, but how Pools have under Moore.

If only he had been appointed ahead of Murray, Pools would be more than one place above the drop zone by now.

But, considering the mess they have been in, they will take anything. Getting off the bottom on Saturday brought scenes of pure joy.

As the strains of the Great Escape whistled and clapped its way around Victoria Park, there was a feeling of unity not seen since they scraped survival last season with that win over Morecambe.

Some might say that those scenes should be reserved for if and when safety is in the bag.

But such has been the mess of a season everyone has suffered, then Pools and their fans are entitled to some celebrating.

And there’s no-one who thinks it’s job done just because two teams are now below them.

For Pools and Moore it’s become part of the spirit and atmosphere. With a bumper crowd taking advantage of the club’s cut-price ticket offer, Victoria Park was a cauldron of passion.

Moore, surely a shoo-in for the manager of the month award for March, said: “We celebrated at the end, but we’ve done that every time we’ve won here, so it’s not like ‘Ooh look what’s happened’.

“It’s actually become a ritual that we celebrate victory, no other reason. As it happens, we’ve won four on the trot. It’s not about getting carried away, it’s a celebration in a way to thank the crowd for their support.

“We are third bottom, the season starts here. Obviously if someone said a month ago we would be there now, there’s no way in the world we would think so.

“It’s because of what we have done, not what others have done. We keep out part, we keep at it and we don’t need any help off others.

“We don’t have to come off asking how others go on and it’s in our own hands.’’

And he added: “It becomes an expectation now, but at one stage it wasn’t and it was about asking if we can do it or if we were capable of it. Now we have come out of the bottom two and the expectation is can we go on.

“We start now, the hard work starts now because we’ve not achieved anything, but they have got out of the mess they were in and to get out of the situation when they were ten points adrift it’s a remarkable achievement from each and every one of them to be fair.

“We are out of the bottom two now and if we do our part we are Ok. Keep doing it and now at this moment we don’t need help.

“Four or five clubs are all nervous and all involved and it’ show they and their supporters handle the situation.’’

After losing at Wycombe at the turn of the year they were ten points short of safety, 12 games without a win and 14 since a clean sheet.

On Saturday, when Matt Harrold squirmed a low shot past Scott Flinders, it was the first time he was beaten since Burton robbed a win at Victoria Park in the 90th minute on March 7.

Harrold’s goal levelled the scores after Brad Walker gave Pools the lead.

From a Jon Franks corner – his delivery was spot on throughout – goalkeeper Chris Dunn flapped at the ball, pushed it as far as Walker and his measured header dropped over the line.

New loan striker Jordan Hugill could have claimed it was his, but his touch on the ball came when it was already in and there’s no taking away Walker’s second goal in as many games.

The midfielder’s season has been a write off until lately and he’s playing with the freshness and mobility that had him down as a talent of some potential last season.

The three-man central midfield unit suits the players in there and Nicky Featherstone was again heavily influential in possession, while Arron Tshibola’s ability to enforce himself on the opposition is a key element.

Up front and Franks is a man transformed. From a winger who ran down blind alleys, he’s now setting the standards. Willing to chase and put defenders under pressure, he’s never played better.

Hugill impressed and follows Rakish Bingham and Ryan Bird in looking like a positive centre forward loan signing.

If Pools had been allowed to keep Bird from Cambridge, then he wouldn’t have been able to play in this one anyway. So instead, Pools got an extra body in and he will have a key role to play in the coming weeks.

“Jordan up top was terrific and if I was him I would have claimed the goal – he said it was already in, but you have to run away with your arm up as a striker,’’ quipped Moore.

“Him and Franksy had a good understanding. Birdy did a great job and it starts up top, they are mobile and work hard.’’

With a game at Newport on Good Friday followed by a home game with Southend on Easter Monday, Pools future could be shaped this time next week.

“I’ve said openly to the press that at this level you win five and lose five just as easy, there’s nothing between the teams,’’ added Moore.

“We asked for a big crowd and got it. Where we were – seven and nine points short – and we still got 3,500 here – they want to stay in the league, we all do, we need it next season and now we have given ourselves a hell of a chance.’’