Enigmatic Compton can keep Pools up

THREE weeks ago and Jack Compton was sat at home as Hartlepool United lost at Portsmouth. An erroneous tweet, sent during the game, infuriated his team-mates.

Back home, at a team meeting two days later they let him know what they thought of his message. He defended his corner, but at the time he looked ostracised, a million miles away from the first team.

But Ronnie Moore put him straight back into the side, a chance to prove himself to the rest of the squad who he let down. Compton delivered against Northampton, has kept his place, and then proved the key component in this vital win over Wimbledon.

And Moore believes that if Compton plays well and turns it on for the next couple of months, Pools will stay up.

Don’t forget, he’s already done it once - keeping Pools up last season with a goal and an assist in the vital safety-clinching win over Morecambe at Victoria Park.

This time he opened up on the left side, crossed and Ryan Bird, making his debut after signing on loan from Cambridge, notched from close range.

Wingers, as Moore says, are nothing if inconsistent at this level. Compton fits the bill.

Moore, after a fourth home win from five and a first double of the season, said: “I watched (winger Alfie) Potter on Tuesday (for Wimbledon at Cambridge) and you wouldn’t think that was the same player. They took him off this time. I said to Compton beforehand ‘you can be our match-winner’.

“I honestly believe with his ability he could save us – if he turns up. If him and Franksy turn up between now and the end of the season we have a hell of a chance of getting out of this.

“I don’t want to see his brother playing on Tuesday. He said he couldn’t breathe, his ribs were hurting – give over, man up and do it.

“At this level and top level, wingers are about consistency and one (good gamer) in four at our level isn’t enough and we can’t afford one in four. We need them now if we stay with them.

“We could still have a look at other formations and it’s down to them two. Franksy gives us more defensively than Compo, but Compo frustrates you.

“They need to put a real shift in. Franksy is a bit gutted to come off, but I couldn’t fault them.’’

Moore had played on the importance of this game and the week to come in the build up. Seven points were his target.

They’ve started with three before taking on Dagenham tomorrow and Burton on Saturday.

After giving themselves hope after beating Northampton two weeks ago before losing to Stevenage, this is a another chance they can’t pass up.

“We said this week is a big, big week for the club. We looked like we wanted to win it second half, so let’s not waste the opportunity we have got,’’ said Moore.

“We are clawing others teams back in, but we can’t waste what we have done today.’’

And, with the gap to safety back to six points, he added: “Dagenham have lots of pace, no easy games is there. It would be nice for us all to get back to back wins and it all changes.

“We have offered at times and not delivered. I’ve said to the lads it only matters about what we do. If we come off this game and drew or got beat it doens’t matter what the others do.

“We then aren’t closing the gap. If we come off Tuesday it might only be three points then with Burton coming here, it’s a cup final – all to play for.

“But we have to go there brave, be positive and set the tempo. We have to win games and we wouldn’t have won this if we carried on in the first-half manner.’’

Pools, with Michael Woods suffering a horrible ankle injury, had to see out 12 minutes of added on time.

It’s to their credit that that they managed to keep a clean sheet for 102 minutes. At times this season they’ve not looked like keeping the opposition out for two minutes.

And they weren’t troubled in that spell. Backed to the hilt by the raucous crowd, the players responded.

“Normally when we are hanging on, we are hanging on deep in our box, but I don’t think they had a right chance where we were lucky,’’ reflected Moore.

“The crowd were brilliant, desperate for us to succeed and we were flat when they were willing us on.

“Maybe the injury to Woodsy gave us something, but it was nice when the goal went in and the final whistle went – it was that I thought I was getting back home for Match of the Day!’’