IT hasn't been a bad few days for Ritchie Humphreys.

First he signed a new contract to extend his Hartlepool United stay for a further two years, before netting twice on Saturday to take his goal tally for the season to a healthy 11 - the same League total he achieved during his career before moving to Victoria Park.

And his double strike, the first a sweetly struck drive, maintained Pool's ten point advantage at the top of the table and made it 17 points in front of third spot.

If and when the Big Unmentionable is landed in a few weeks his season will be complete.

It's a good job Humphreys' goals were able to lift Pool against Southend, because for the majority of the game they flattered to deceive.

The three points were achieved without Mike Newell's side playing anything like they can. But it put to bed a three-game winless run and if Pool can go on the sort of run they did last time a similar streak was ended, glory can't be far off.

The supporters believe it and while they cry of winning the league, players, management and staff take it one game at a time.

Wrexham away tomorrow night won't be an easy one, indeed Saturday's trip to a team fighting for their football life - Bristol Rovers - shouldn't be sneezed at.

With Humphreys on song, however, Pool have little to fear. It will be the opposition who are fearful of the player of the year to be.

"It's been an excellent week, I'm really pleased,'' he beamed. "It's nice to get things sorted out early, to know where I am going to be for the next couple of years.

"We've talked for a couple of weeks about a contract and it's great to sort things out. There wasn't much to discuss to be honest, it was more a case of checking things were right for me and my family.

"We've now got ten games left so now we can concentrate of getting what we are aiming for.''

Humphreys netted a hat-trick against Swansea on February 22 and Newell admits since then the form of the 25-year-old has dipped slightly. Saturday, contract negotiations over, saw a return to form.

"I don't think he has been at his best the last couple of weeks and he won the game for us this time," he said.

"He's been off the pace a little bit and I don't know if that is to do with the talks because it went on for a couple of weeks. Sometimes when your future is uncertain it can affect you whether you realise it or not. But he scored a good first goal and then the one that wins the match for us.''

Humphreys admitted: "Things may have been on my mind subconciously. I didn't think so, but I had been quiet I suppose the last couple of games. So it was good to come back like that on Saturday with a couple of goals.

"I knew as soon as I hit the first one it ws going in. I cut across the ball a little bit and when you do that it can go anywhere, but I saw the gap and caught it right inside the post. I've overtaken Tinks in the goal charts now - so I've had a little bit of fun in the dressing room about that.

"We've got goals in the team from several positions, all over the park. All the midfield have chipped in this season."

Humphreys netted five times last season and after starting his Pool life in the forward line it was only when he dropped deeper that the goals flowed.

Chris Turner spotted Humphreys' liking for coming onto the ball and, rather than playing with his back to goal and having a big defender kicking him all over the pitch (the sort of treatment Eifion Williams is taking every week), running onto play there are few better.

From day one at Carlisle this season when he netted his first goal to now, the switch from centre forward to central midfielder to left winger has led to great things. He said: "It gives me the chance to come in at the far post and a lot of goals are scored there. I get forward a lot more wide and I see a lot more of the ball there.

"And I think that counts a lot more away from home as well. Quite often it's tight in the middle in away games and the ball is going backwards and forwards. Out wide I get a bit more space and time to use the ball.''

He had plenty of time to pick his spot for the first goal, but the accuracy and swerve on his low shot was too much for keeper Darryl Flahavan.

The No 1 was inspired when the teams met in the FA Cup at Victoria Park earlier this season and it looked like he could be in for a repeat early on when he blocked Tinkler's shot and somehow kept out Eifion Williams' follow up from all of five yards.

Williams hasn't netted since the win at Macclesfield on January 21, but it's hard to tell.

His workrate and movement on Saturday asked plenty of questions of the Southend defence.

And that in turn led to a barrage of questions from the terraces directed at referee Mark Cowburn. He gave Williams nothing as the defenders were willing and allowed to get physical with him.

Williams teed up Marcus Richardson in front of goal, but his touch let him down.

Humphreys's second was a simple effort, created thanks to the tenacity of Tommy Widdrington who kept the pressure on the Southend defence as they tried to escape.

Darryll Sutch headed in on 73 minutes to give Pool a little fright, but win number 22 was on its way.

Result: Hartlepool United 2 Southend United 1.

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