JON Daly put an end to Hartlepool United's penalty misery - after a spell on the training ground on Friday.

After four misses from five this season, and another three squandered from the spot in a shoot-out defeat at Hull City last week, Pools' penalty record has been terrible.

They had missed their previous six in Football League action and, before Daly scored from 12 yards at Peterborough on Saturday, the last penalty successfully converted in the league was over a year ago, when Adam Boyd scored in a 3-3 draw with Scunthorpe on August 29, 2005.

Daly didn't take one in the Carling Cup at Hull, but revealed: "I'm pleased to get two, it's nice to get a couple. I wanted to take the penalty - Matty Robson wanted to take it as well - but I was confident.

"I took eight, nine, ten penalties in training on Friday and scored them all, so I was confident of tucking it away. We've missed a few this season, but I was keen on taking that one.

"Getting the penalty so soon after the first goal was good because we already had scored a couple of minutes earlier, so we were on a high at the time.''

Daly's double took his tally to three in the last six starts and Saturday's man of the match admitted: "I've had a good run in the team and I'm enjoying it, I really am. I started the season in the team, but was left out and didn't even make the 16.

"I wasn't travelling to away games and I was left on the sidelines. Now I've had a run and the gaffer has shown some faith in me. I'm working hard and I want to stay in the team and do well.

"We've some good young strikers coming through - James Brown wasn't even in the 16 today and there's David Foley as well - so they keep you on your toes.''

Pools' third goal, Daly's second, came after a free-flowing move and the big Irishman, who played with his hand strapped up after damaging tendons and ligaments at Hull, admitted: "That was a nice one to score, it was a good move across the pitch. We got in behind them, Joel held the ball up really well for me and I just ran into the space and picked up his great backheel.

"It was a good game for the neutral anyway - eight goals, three disallowed and a missed penalty as well.

"That sort of performance has been coming, it's been on the way. OK, maybe not the three goals we conceded, but scoring five has been.

"We've played some good football this season without scoring then we go and get five in one game.

"Goals give players belief and confidence and we've scored plenty today. Things went nice for us and it was a good performance.

"It's hard to believe that Joel hasn't scored - he's been involved heavily in four of them and not got one himself.

"He's been unbelievable and done everything but score, he's done all the hard work for us."