IT’S the hope that kills you they say.

First the planned Hartlepool United takeover doens’t go ahead. Then last night, Pools beat Northampton at Victoria Park to close the gap at the foot of the table. Hope.  

Expectations rise, the belief that Pools can avoid the drop has returned. It came after a scintillating second-half against the Cobblers which earned a third successive home win, unchartered territory for Pools this season.

With no other sides in the bottom half of the table winning, victory cut the gap at the bottom to five points, six from safety.

Win against Stevenage at Victoria Park on Saturday and the survival fight is well and truly on. Ronnie Moore still needs nine more wins this season after this one. But at least there’s a sniff of hope.

“Stevenage on Saturday we need to carry this on, come out firing and then we are a match for anyone,’’ he said. “Northampton won five on the trot then lost tonight, this was an immense result for us.’’

It was an immense second half performance, the goal coming from Marvin Morgan after 50 minutes.

A slack back pass from defender Lee Collins played in the loan striker and he composed himself to arc a low finish past keeper Matt Duke.

Collins was berated by his manager for the mistake. Pools don’t care, they will take every bit of good fortune thrown their way.

Moore added: “It was a tight game and we had the best first-half chances. Second half got a bit lively after we scored.

“The tempo was dead in the first half, we couldn’t get the crowd going and it helped the away team.

“We had to up the tempo and get the ball in the right areas.

“We defended well, the centre-backs were immense when they had to be. On the break, how many chances to do want? We had umpteen to finish it off.

“In the end we have to defend well and make saves to keep the lead. We cannot keep creating those opportunities and not take them, one of two weren’t difficult for me.’’

Northampton came into the game in form, with manager Chris Wilder winning the January manager of the month award amid a run of five successive wins.

Pools need that sort of run. Perhaps it’s started.

Jack Compton was Pools’ brightest player. The left winger was seemingly ostracised by his team-mates after making comments on Twitter during Saturday’s defeat at Portsmouth.

But he was given a recall and how he went some way to winning the squad over.

He crossed at pace and defender Ryan Cresswell headed over his own bar under pressure. It set the tone.

Compton then sent over Pool’s best chance of the opening half, fizzing a ball from the left into and across the penalty box, evading Marlon Harewood and match-winner Morgan.

Moore said: “We felt the wingers could be a danger if we got the ball to them. Compton is like Marmite – love him or hate him, but get his head right and he is a threat all day.

“That’s the standards he set now, do that and we will win more than we lose.’’

All the opposition offered in the opening half was a scramble which Scott Flinders smothered. He later made some last-gasp heroics to keep the points.

Morgan, signed last week on loan from Plymouth, scored and Pools took confidence from it, going close to a second.

A deep corner found its way to David Mirfin and his low volley was blocked and bounced wide by defender Cresswell.

Then Harewood showed some turn of pace to charge away from halfway, played a backheel into Compton and his shot was well saved by Matt Duke.

The keeper then kept out a low Compton shot from 20 yards.

Harewood should have scored, being fed by Connor Smith, but slicing horribly wide. He wasted two late chances to extend the lead and it got edgy.

With seven minutes to go and Pools sitting back, they switched to a five-man defence, David Mirfin and Scott Harrison were immense.

But in injury time, Flinders flung himself to the top corner to paw away a Cresswell header.

With other teams at the bottom end losing, victory for Pools will have the opposition looking over their shoulders.

Moore added: “We knew how important this was, results have gone fairly well for us.  If we lost today, then it doens’t matter what the others do.

“It’s great to be back, I’ve loved every minute of being here since I got back in the game.’’