IT’S one of football’s laziest and easiest excuses to trot out. Lose at Hartlepool United and it’s down to the conditions, the pitch and the weather.
Two weeks ago and Cheltenham boss Paul Buckle said as much. This time, John Sheridan, the Plymouth chief, cited the pitch.
However, he couldn’t mask over the defensive frailities of his own side in the process. 
For Ronnie Moore, however, it’s all music to his ears. Proof that Victoria Park is not a welcoming place any more. 
He’s been in the same position as Buckle and Sheridan before, visiting as an opposition boss. 
“When I was manager at Tranmere Rovers and Rotherham United I always used to hate coming up here,’’ he admitted. “It was always windy and it was always cold.
“We have to try and get that feeling into people when they come here and we have done that in the last few weeks.
“That team work and fighting spirit wasn’t there when I came in.
“The three new lads have helped on that front, certainly, but they are a good bunch here.
“They are not used to winning – but it can become an easy habit.’’
Pools have now won back to back home games for the first time since March last year. In scoring three times, it’s an achievement last racked up at the same time. 
Plymouth were despatched as competently as Cheltenham were. 
And it’s credit to Moore that he is achieving progress, getting much improved displays from his players and starting to win games against a backdrop of real uncertainty.
There’s still no sign of the club’s takeover being completed. There was no sign either of future / current chairman Peter Harris or past chairman Ken Hodcroft on Saturday. 
It’s a good job things are coming together on the pitch, because off it, things appear a million miles away. 
The players are responding to Moore’s methods. The spark is back and the starting XI are playing with a confidence and belief. 
“It is a good dressing room and the players were all pleased,’’ said Moore. “One or two were upset when they got the phones out and saw the other results.
“But we can’t worry about that – it is what we do that counts.
“If we win and close the gap and next week get another win then all of a sudden you can drag three or four other teams in.
“There will be a few teams worried we are on a bit of a run.”
While Pools won, the only downside was that Tranmere, Dagenham and Carlisle all triumphed. The gap to safety is seven points. 
Pools went ahead early as Aaron Tishbola roamed around the field and glided down the left, picked out Jonathan Franks and he raced onto the ball to fire in low. 
Franks has been a regular source of frustration for all, but delivered constantly this time. His crosses were accurate and his finishing exemplary. 
His second came when Michael Woods linked up with Scott Fenwick on the left side, opened up the defence and passed for Franks to smash in. 
With Matthew Bates excelling in a deep-lying role, Woods and Tshibola can play with freedom, and the trio have proved a useful midfield act. 
Fenwick swept in the third, finishing confidently after Michael Duckworth broke forward. 
For all the desire Moore has to land another striker, would any loan signing from a Premier League club have a record of four goals in six starts like Fenwick has since moving into the professional game from Dunston? His record shows there are gems out there to be unearthed.
And the scorer, fit after a shoulder injury suffered a week earlier, said: “We are growing as a team all the time. I’m a new lad and came in and saw the quality we have. 
“Look at midfield – Woodsy and Tish make us tick, the two best centre mids around. They get on the ball, move it around and run the game. 
“The changing room is bouncing, it’s loud and the music is pumping, we are raring to go and growing every week. 
“The spirit is there, it’s a different place for me. When I came in it was quiet, and I’m used to a buzzing changing room and it was like a morgue – people didn’t talk and now it’s the opposite. 
“Everyone has come out of their shell and it’s a different environment. Fransky got two and he’s been battered with the chances he’s missed, but he grafts, gets his goals and deserved it. 
“He got two, should have had three.
“Results haven’t gone for us, but we are nine points off 17th which shows the fine margins in the league.
“It will be a nice feeling next week to go to Portsmouth, in front of a big crowd and take three points.’’