A PAIR of identical results and Ritchie Humphreys was a happy man on Saturday, writes Nick Loughlin.

A little under 24 hours before Hartlepool United beat Oxford 3-1 at Victoria Park, Humphreys raised a smile at the result of the Sheffield derby. Chris Turner's new side might have lost 3-1, but he had no sympathy for his old club or his old manager.

Humphreys started his career at Sheffield Wednesday, but the 25-year-old is a Blade.

"That's two good results for me,'' he said. "I didn't get to see Friday's game, but my dad was keeping me in touch. People might not realise because I started at Hillsborough, but I'm not a Wednesday fan.''

And, perhaps inspired by Michael Brown's fine volley on Friday, Humphreys netted with his own spectacular effort.

"It was a goal I can be pleased with,'' he reflected. "I've had a few attempts at coming onto the ball and hitting it, but this one worked. Darrell knocked it over the top and it seemed to take ages and ages to come down.

"I caught it really well. It was always in my mind to do it, but with it hanging up in the air for so long I expected to be closed down. I connected well with it - bang!''

And after taking the glory of the first goal, he was also the instigator of number two.

"We let them get back in the game which I didn't really think they deserved,'' he added.

"But we came back and that's down to the spirit here. It was a good move, I found myself on the right and played a one-two with Bassy - he even backheeled it to me! I wanted to shoot then, but it was blocked and it fell for Marcus. He tucked it away well.''

But Humphreys will see today how an early kick affects his chances of facing Macclesfield tomorrow night.

He was clattered by Oxford's Jefferson Lewis and said: "It was a typical centre-forward's tackle and caught me. I could feel it as the game went on, but all I can do is see how it is later.''

Read more about Hartlepool here.