CARL MAGNAY marked Raj Singh and Jeff Stelling’s imminent buy-out of Hartlepool United in stunning fashion with a spectacular winner at Barrow.

The Pools skipper scored his first goal of the season when he let fly from 40 yards with a strike reminiscent of Josimar’s 1986 World Cup screamer against Northern Ireland.

His goal completed a deserved come-from-behind victory at Holker Street which takes Pools three points clear of the drop.

Pools had gone behind on 18 minutes when former star, Luke James, netted his fifth goal in five games for the Bluebirds.

But the side drew level in first-half stoppage time with Conor Newton’s third goal of the season from a narrow angle before Magnay beat Steve Arnold with his 50th-minute wonder goal.

It was the third game unbeaten for Pools and leaves caretaker boss, Matthew Bates, favourite to stay on as manager following the SAS takeover at Victoria Park.

The former Boro defender said he was “proud” of the players and confident they will pull clear of National League danger.

But he explained he would need to have talks with the new owners to discuss his own future.

“If it happens [the takeover] I’m sure I’ll have a conversation with them,” he said. “At the moment I’m not working for the potential new owners.

“I need to see where they want to go with it.

“As I’ve said all along, there are so many variables, I’m only the caretaker.

“There’s a long way to go still and I don’t want to get too carried away by the result but we have to keep this going.”

Bates was thrilled with the way his side performed against their relegation rivals for his first victory in his second spell in temporary charge at the club.

“I think that win has been coming,” said Bates. “The never-say-die spirit has been there the last couple of weeks and it showed again here.

“We fell behind against the run of play, a sucker-punch, letting Luke James get in behind us.

“But we stuck to it, Conor has scored with a great composure after Rhys had done well.

“Mags has got that in his locker, he has the technique, and he’s had the confidence to take that on. I don’t think you’ll see a better goal this season in the National League.

“I thought we were magnificent in the second half and we can move forward with confidence.”

Pools, playing into the driving rain, were on the front foot from the outset, but failed to translate possession into chances.

And they fell behind in the 18th minute with Luke James, inevitably, the scorer.

Right-back Donovan Makoma played a basic ball up the right channel, where the former Pools striker got the better of Scott Harrison and finished nicely past Loach from 12 yards.

The goal gave the Bluebirds a spring in their step and they threatened again on 21 minutes when Brad Bauress had his left-foot shot saved down to his left by Loach.

Pools had their moments and when Oates got the ball into the home box in the 28th minute, Jake Cassidy was unable to get a clean connection with an overhead kick.

Kingsley James, thankfully, could not get a clean header on a Lewis Walters cross from the left before Asa Hall was well off-target from distance.

Walters then almost went all the way through with a mesmerising run, only for Pools to scramble it away.

However, Pools were back on level terms in the opening minute of stoppage time.

Oates showed great perseverance and determination to get behind the defence and while he was unable to get the better of Steve Arnold, Newton followed up to net from an acute angle with his right foot.

Pools were straight out of the blocks after the re-start with Oates making a storming run which threatened to take him all the way through only for Mo Diarra to make a critical last-ditch tackle.

However, Pools took the lead in spectacular fashion.

Magnay picked up the ball from Nicky Featherstone 40 yards out and took aim with his right-foot missile flying into Arnold’s top-right corner.

It signaled a period of Pools domination, with a Harrison long throw causing trouble in the home box and from the subsequent corner, the centre-half could not quite get a clean header from a good chance.

There should have been a third away goal in the 69th minute when Oates got into the six-yard box no-one was there to convert his pull-back.

It was all Pools and Arnold dived to his right to save from a Woods grasscutter from the edge of the area and Cassidy could then not quite reach a superb cross from the right.

Barrow threw all three subs on in a desperate last throw of the dice bringing on Grant Holt, Jordan White and Dan Jones and Louis Laing made a good block and headed clearance in the space of a few seconds.

Four minutes from time, Arnold made a flying save to his left from sub Devante Rodney who attempted a carbon copy of his equalising goal down the coast at Fylde on Saturday.

Luke James went high over the bar from the edge of the area and Pools had to negotiate six minutes of stoppage time for a vital three points.

Goals: L James 18, (1-0), Newton (45, 1-1), Magnay (50,1-2)

Booking: Warterston 49

Referee: Matthew Donohue 7

Attendance: 1,018

Entertainment: 3/5

Barrow (4-3-3): Arnold 5, Makoma 6 (Jones 80), MacDonald 6, Diarra 6, Cook, 6 K James 6, Bauress 6, Hall 6, Waterston 6 (Holt 69, 5), L James 7, Walters 6 (White 80). Subs (not used): Diagne, Barthram

Pools (4-4-2): Loach 6, Magnay 7, Harrison 6 (Owen 90), Laing 6, Adams 6, Featherstone 6, Newton 7, Hawkins 6 (Hawkes 86), Woods 7, Cassidy 7, Oates 7 (Rodney 79). Subs (not used): Catterick, Owen, Munns

MAN OF THE MATCH

Carl Magnay – could only be him for his stunning winner