FOUR GOALS in a week and Lewis Alessandra is on a high with Hartlepool United.

Pools have won two games at home in the space of five days, with seven goals scored and Alessandra has more than half of them, doubling his tally for the season.

A move into a midfield role has proved a boost for the attacker, and his finishes over the last week have been top quality.

His second – Pools’ third – will be on the goal of the season shortlist.

The first at the weekend was a controlled volley and he said: "It sort of fell to me, there was pace on the ball and I just angled it in the direction [of goal].

"It was quite a tight angle and I was just delighted it went in to get us back in the game and lifted the crowd and everyone.

"We needed that, we were poor, and you could understand the fans getting restless.’’

Pools’ second goal was set up by Rhys Oates and, while both Oates and Alessandra were praised by their teammates and manager, the double scorer was quick to salute Oates.

"He's a very honest, athletic player, he was excellent,’’ he reflected.

"You saw him cramp up and you could see at the end him cramping up because he had done so much running.

"He's a fit lad and he's run himself into the ground.

"He did wonders for Podge's goal.’’

For the game-clinching third, Alessandra admitted: "My initial reaction was to take it down the line because I knew we were coming to the end of the 90 minutes, get the ball in an area which wasn't dangerous to us.

"But I felt myself coming inside and kept coming and coming!

"I got within shooting distance and let fly, I think the keeper was a bit unsighted and it flew in at his near post and it was game, set and match.’’