PERHAPS Hartlepool United are finally seeing the results and rewards after a few months of trying.

A demolition job on Hull City - the scoreline flattered the morose visitors - was Pool's second win over the toothless Tigers in five days.

It was also Joel Porter's second goal in as many games and his third in four starts in a blue and white shirt.

The Australian striker has everything in his locker, workrate and skill aplenty. The only thing missing from his CV during his near-year-long stint at Pool has been a regular supply goals. Just five came in his debut season in England.

And for a striker, goals are pretty much a pre-requisite.

But Neale Cooper has never doubted Porter; he knows there are goals in the striker - in 2001-2 season he banged in 24 in 56 games for the Melbourne Knights - but it's been a case of cajoling them out of him.

On Saturday there was none of the "after you, Claude" mentality that has dogged Porter's Pool career. Too often - at his own admission and at his own cost - he has been too unselfish in front of goal, preferring to look at the options available instead of trying his luck.

As the old saying goes, if you don't buy a ticket you won't win the lottery.

But Porter's numbers came up after just seven minutes on Saturday, when he thumped Pool in front with the sort of finish you would expect from a seasoned striker.

"I'm very pleased with that performance,'' he admitted. "We knew it was going to be hard judging by Tuesday's game, but we attacked from the first minute and took the game to them. We could have been in front in the first minute.

"For my goal it was a great, great move and a nice lay-off. Normally, I'm not confident enough to strike the ball first time like that - I'm normally passing it to someone else. But I hit it well and it was a nice goal.

"I know the manager says it a lot, but I've played a good few games now and I feel confident enough to strike the ball first-time like that.''

Porter, with four goals in five games for his country, added: "We took a lot of confidence from Tuesday's win. But 2-0 is a great result, because they have spent a lot of money and will be up at the top end of the table.

"I've scored two in two games now and I want it to continue. I've got to keep shooting when I get the chance and lay them off when I have to.''

The previous home game against Torquay saw Porter on the scoresheet once and Pool nabbing four. They both squandered three times as many on the day.

Just 14 seconds in on Saturday and Pool missed their first opening. Keeper Matt Duke committed his first howler of many when he knocked the ball into Ritchie Humphreys' path and the winger screwed his shot wide of the open net.

That, however, wasn't a sign of things to come, more a statement of Pool's intentions.

And seven minutes later they were in front with a goal of the highest order.

Eifion Williams, a striker or right winger playing on the left wing, won a header on the edge of the area and kept running. Alan Pouton, in his best game yet, spotted his charge ahead and a deft pass into his stride took him away from the defence.

As he cut inside, Porter was waiting and a sweet first-timer crashed into the net.

Adam Boyd, Humphreys and Porter all saw chances go begging and it could have been like the game at Boothferry Park in 1999 when one side was four goals down after 20 minutes. This time, though, it was all Pool.

Hull had one chance, but Jim Provett excelled himself. Danny Allsopp found the ball at his feet six yards out and looked a certain scorer, but for the intervention of Provett.

Hull have spent well over £300,000 on four strikers. This season they have managed to total one goal between them. Perhaps those quick to criticize owners IOR for a lack of transfer funds may like to take note.

With Provett unbreakable and Pool's defence this week unbreachable, it was a far different tale at the other end.

Central defenders Junior Lewis and Damien Delaney had all the organisation of the Chuckle Brothers. The joker in goal behind them wasn't much better.

Debutant Duke took a knock from Boyd and struggled throughout. But his problems were there for all to see long before the striker's intervention.

It was like seeing the Pool defence play with Andy Dibble standing behind them; the back four had no confidence in the keeper and were always wary of his presence.

Just 100 seconds after the restart and Boyd hit the bar from eight yards when it was easier to score.

Then Duke flapped and dropped Gavin Strachan's free-kick and Boyd thumped in his seventh of the season.

"It was even better than Tuesday's performance,'' admitted Cooper. "We could have scored after seconds.

"We've worked a lot during the week with the strikers and on our shooting, especially firing at goal from different angles and cut-backs.

"It was good play down the left side, Joel and Eifion linked up well together.

"It was a great start and it was a good strike from Joel. We've done it towards the end of the week in training. We've had the strikers and midfielders shooting from all over and the defenders working separately. And it was great to see everyone learning from it. The central midfielders linked up well and the wide men worked very hard."

Result: Hartlepool United 2 Hull City 0.

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