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HARTLEPOOL United surged off the bottom of the Football League and out of the relegation places for the first time since October.

Pools beat Cambridge at a raucous Victoria Park to leap over Tranmere and Cheltenham.

See a gallery of pictures from the match here.

It’s now an unprecedented four wins in a row for Pools under boss Ronnie Moore – and their Great Escape is well and truly on.

Pools took the lead when Brad Walker’s lobbed header from eight yards found the net, with new loan signing Jordan Hugill claiming a touch on the line.

The goal came at a time Pools were well on top, but they allowed the visitors back into the game and striker Matt Harrold squeezed a low shot under keeper Scott Flinders after reacting in the penalty area.

At the start of the second half, Jonathan Franks latched onto a long ball and looked like a scorer, but prodded wide from close range.

But the winner came from an unexpected source. Centre-half Scott Harrison creamed in a volley from the edge of the penalty area – his first goal in professional football.

Pools had eight minutes of injury time to contend with as the visitors pressed, twice sending their goalkeeper up for corners, but they saw it out amid jubilant scenes in front of a 5,009 crowd.

Boss Moore said: 

“It’s been fantastic, the joy at the end is good but we’ve not achieved anything yet.

“Out of the bottom two and it looked three weeks ago like it wouldn’t happen.

“All praise to the lads, they’ve chased and harried and we have earned the results that have gone for us.

“It showed how much we have progressed as last time we played a physical side (Stevenage) we got beat up, but we stood firm.

“The crowd came to the fore at the end, it’s so nerve-wracking and it’s five past five when we finish games.

“We are off the bottom, it’s a great lift for everyone, but we don’t want to go back in there with tough games to come. I will enjoy my pint tonight.’’

 

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (3-5-2): Flinders; Harrison, Mirfin, D Jones; Austin, Featherstone, Walker, Tshibola (Hawkins 79), Duckworth; Franks, Hugill (Harewood 87). Subs: Maxted (gk), Nelson-Addy, Richards, Smith, J Jones.

CAMBRIDGE UNITED (4-4-2): Dunn; Tait (Simpson 68), Coulson, Miller, Dunk; Donaldson, Champion, Hughes, Hunt (Kaikai 76); Elliott, Harrold (Slew 76). Subs: Lanzoni, Norris, Nelson, Morrissey.

Referee: Andy Haines (Sunderland)

Attendance: 5,009