Hartlepool Utd 4 Southend Utd 3

TWO pieces of individual brilliance from James Brown last night dragged Hartlepool United out of the doldrums.

Following a first-half which bordered on the tedious, Pools, and Brown, showed in the second half last night what they are capable of.

Two first half penalties cancelled each other out, before Brown struck seconds after the restart and then bettered it with his 12th goal of the season.

It was enough for Pools first win in seven - their first since seeing off Crewe on December 15.

It may even be enough to kickstart a recovery and an end to their malaise, as confidence and belief returned last night with the goals. The last seven minutes, however, were a nervy affair after Southend twice reduced the gap to one goal.

In front of just 3,217, Pools lowest home crowd since November 2002, neither side threatened before Matty Robson, one of five changes to the starting line-up from last Friday's debacle at home to Cheltenham, crossed low from the left.

Brown took possession, ran across the face of the penalty area and was felled by Steven Hamell.

Barker stepped up and drilled in his 12th goal of the season and his fifth successful penalty of the campaign.

Neither side was making much headway going forward - the nearest to another goal was when new signing Alan Thompson's free-kick to the near post was headed wide by Micky Nelson.

A minute later, Gary Liddle fed Robson in space. His touch set up a shot which he pushed just wide of the far post with Darryl Flahavan beaten.

On his last visit to Victoria Park, as part of the Southend side which won 2-1 in December 2005, Flahaven had the game of his life, turning away shot after shot to secure an unlikely victory.

The way Pools were playing in last night's first-half - and of late - he wouldn't have expected a night of similar hard work on this occasion.

But after Pools penalty, it wasn't long before Southend had a spot kick of their own - and once again it meant Pools conceded a goal which they could quite easily have prevented.

After the defence wasted three chances to put the ball away from danger, Nelson's outstretched leg tripped Mark Gower and Hammell netted from 12 yards.

After what Danny Wilson described as the worst 45 minutes he had overseen at Victoria Park in the Cheltenham defeat, this wasn't as bad. Nearly, but not quite.

Once again Pools were flat, failing to make any headway going forward and lacking the confidence to pass the ball around with any verve.

But that all changed a minute into the second-half. Joel Porter held up play and fed Liddle who found Robson and when his cross landed at Brown's feet he was too quick for Hammell and was able to pick his spot, shooting low across Flahaven.

And Brown then scored his second with a superb individual effort.

He took possession on halfway and burst forward at pace.

With the defenders standing off, he took possession when Barker's shot fell into his path and fired in his 11th of the season from 12 yards.

Arran Lee-Barrett made a key stop to preserve Pools' two goal lead when he kept out a strong Mark Gower shot and then again he kept out a shot from the same player after a run from deep.

Thompson went off after 70 minutes. The midfielder was signed from Leeds on loan yesterday morning and is at Victoria Park for a month to build up his fitness afte making 13 appearances at Elland Road this season.

On the ball his clever passing and ability to keep possession could prove a useful asset over the next four weeks.

Nerves returned when Gower turned in at the far post when the ball was crossed deep from the right by Tommy Black and the final minutes were as exciting as any which had passed.

Porter had a chance to end the tension when he cracked a shot against the crossbar, but he then teed up Antony Sweeney to drill in from six yards.

There was still time for Black to make it 4-3, and even for Lewis Hunt to fire over an inviting chance from 20 yards, but how Pools needed victory.