CRAIG HARRISON hailed the “ugliest of ugly victories” as his Hartlepool United side.

It wasn’t pretty, but it was a beautiful for the Pools boss as he marked his first victory at the seventh attempt.

Following Saturday’s desperate home defeat to AFC Fylde, Pools needed a performance and a win. They may not have got a fluent display, but they did earn three points with some rugged defending and no end of hard work.

Jonathan Franks scored the only goal, his second-half strike enough to see off the Yorkshire part-timers in front of around 800 travelling fans.

“As far as wins go they don’t get much uglier, but I’d take that every week if it means winning games,’’ said Harrison. “Guiseley had been unbeaten here and they have a real physical presence.

“There was a unity about the performance. Things haven’t gone the way we wanted, but I’m really proud to be a leader of men in that dressing room today.

“The support we had today was really appreciated by everyone.

“I love football, love watching Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich – but there’s nothing like a 1-0 away win when you have to dig in, roll your sleeves up and show what you are all about.

“As a manager of professional sportsmen, that gives you a lot of pressure.

“It showed the unity of the group, they blocked, tackled and put them under pressure.

“The past six games, we can’t look backwards and mull over them. We can work on the problems in training and I’m a positive person. This has been long overdue and, don’t get me wrong, we can play better but when it comes to working hard and grafting for each other they proved they can do it.’’

He added: “This was a good, old-fashioned heart on the sleeve performance. Everyone was disappointed on Saturday, no-one more so than me as I am a very proud, professional person. The best people and the best teams bounce back and it’s how you react.

“We have to make sure we kick on now, we won’t get carried away at all and we work hard from it now.’’

Only three minutes had passed when Pools were given a big scare. A lovely cross from the left was powerfully met by striker Frank Mulhern. His header beat Scott Loach and crashed back off the underside of the bar.

The first 15 minutes was scrappy from Pools’ perspective. They tried to hit balls up front to Jake Cassidy, but in a 4-3-3 formation he was isolated.

Devante Rodney was wide right in the front three and dropped deep to help out Carl Magnay when defending.

As an attacking unit, Pools offered little. Home keeper Joe Green didn’t have a shot to save as the ball was routinely banged back to front and back again.

It was 41 minutes and Pools had a shot, of sorts. Rodney held off two defenders and bobbled a low shot wide. Cue ironic cheers from the 750 away fans; gallows humour is alive and well in Hartlepool.

Just 50 seconds into the second-half and Rodney had a chance to put Pools ahead. Magnay headed the ball into the penalty area, beyond the defence and he latched onto it.

Keeper Joe Green was quickly off his line to smother his instinctive finish on the turn.

Three minutes later and Green was beaten.

Cassidy cut the ball into the area from the right side, Lewis Hawkins missed it and it fell for Franks who gleefully cracked in from ten yards.

It was the first time this season, in six and a half games, that Pools were in front.

Franks, confident from his goal, then tried his luck from 20 yards and the shot carried into keeper Green.

Three efforts on goal in 10 minutes? Unchartered territory for Pools.

But the home side went a bit more direct after the goal. Pools’ stand-in left-back Nicky Deverdics was a target as they looked to get at him. He stuck to his job well.

Guiseley weren’t afraid to lump into the area and Scott Harrison and Keith Watson had to be switched on throughout.

But Harrison was forced off injured, Pools were being pressed back. On came Kenton Richardson and he gave a mature display at right-back, with Carl Magnay repelling all in the middle.

Scott Loach made a wondrous double save to keep Pools level. A shot from Mulhern was parried by the keeper, the follow up landed for Olukayode Odejayi. He looked a certain scorer, planting a free header at an empty net.

But Loach flew across goal, getting a firm hand on it and tipping the ball over the bar.

Pools had to withstand a long-ball bombardment as the game went on. With some solid defending they saw out the eight minutes of added on time. It wasn’t pretty and it wasn’t easy on the eye, but it worked.