LAST season Hartlepool United relied on their midfielders for goals as the strikers failed to hit it off.

On Saturday, they again relied on their midfielders for goals only this time it was in the absence of their main strikers.

With the division's third-top scorer Kevin Henderson sidelined with a knee injury and partner Anth Lormor again ruled out with a knee injury, boss Chris Turner fielded Tim Sperrevik and Andy McAvoy up front in a partnership with one goal in only eight starts between them.

Despite their efforts, the pair couldn't find a goal and instead it was Tommy Miller and Paul Stephenson who fired Pool to a 2-1 win over Leyton Orient.

Miller has been quiet, claim the knockers and mockers. So quiet in fact that he has six goals this campaign, two more than he had at this stage last season when he only managed to score 16 times from midfield.

And if those braving the elements on the Mill House terrace had their way, then he would have been hauled off long before netting.

Skipper Stephenson made it two with a stinging drive from 25 yards and while Orient might have grabbed an injury time goal back through a close-range header from substitute Steve Watts, there wasn't enough time left for Pool to throw away more late points.

"We've played better this season and not won,'' reflected Turner. "The conditions were not easy - mainly because of the wind. But if I listened to the people over there then the two goalscorers could have been off before the goals.''

Turner instead took Lee Fitzpatrick off for Ian Clark's seasonal debut and Craig Midgley replaced Sperrevik. With Sperrevik facing an impending suspension, it didn't take long for Midgley to post a 'don't forget about me' notice to Turner.

Disappointed to miss out on a rare start, the diminutive front man showed Sperrevik how it should be done as his movement and awareness caused the Orient defence more problems in his first ten minutes on the pitch than they had in an hour previously.

"Midgley held the ball up well and ran at them, but you don't take off your main scorers when the game is at 0-0 and you are still in the game,'' said Turner.

"I took Lee Fitzpatrick off because I feel he wasn't contributing, but I get paid to make the decisions and it would be easy to listen to the shouts.

"If Midgley could do that from the start then he would be in from the start but he hasn't done that. He was disappointed to be overlooked with McAvoy starting but we wanted someone to turn them and try and get behind their back four. I didn't think Tim had his best game. We didn't know Lormor was going to be out until late and we have to give the players credit.

"We have beaten a team who started in fourth and we have gone three games this week without defeat.

"I said the other day we have done exceptionally well considering the players we are without. We have 20 points and that is a good platform. If everyone was here and fit and available I would be disappointed with that total, but instead it is something to build on''

A year ago today Pool beat Millwall in the FA Cup, while sitting in 16th spot in Division Three. Today they are one place better off and on the injury front, surely Pool have reached their lowest point with players returning who can only strengthen the squad.

McAvoy is one of those returning from a long list of injuries and gave a hard-working show up front. Just like Sperrevik alongside him, he is learning not only the role but also the game as well.

Orient's passing was crisper in the first half as Pool tried to attack quickly in midfield with Miller and Stephenson at the heart of the majority of those moves.

But if Orient thought it was going to be easier with the wind behind them in the second half they were soon mistaken.

McAvoy was denied his first goal for Pool within a minute of the restart when David McGee blocked his header. That was Pool's best chance before the arrival of Midgley.

A regular on the bench, Midgley's appearance brought some real spark to Pool. His intelligent runs across and behind the defence finally got the Orient defence on the run.

Pool won a corner from Midgley's twisting run and from it the ball dropped to Miller who neatly netted from an acute angle. An offside flag in a packed penalty area prevented a quick-fire leveller and Orient then went to a three-man forward line to try and get something back.

Stephenson, however, picked the ball up 25 yards from goal, took a touch and rifled it across keeper Ashley Bayes into the far corner for his second of the season