GEORGE Reynolds opted to stay away from Victoria Parkon Saturday - it's a shame so many of his players appeared to follow suit.

Because Hartlepool took the first derby honours of the season with a 2-1 victory over Darlington that was more comfortable than the narrow scoreline suggests.

Reynlds refused to attend, claiming he was scared of Victoria Park and it's fans after the events of last season's volatile play-off game, but what was his players' excuses for failing to make an impression?

In some manner it was very much like the corresponding game of last season. Quakers in the top five, Pool nearer the bottom than the top. Pool with one home win behind them, Quakers with a better record than their hosts. And just like last time Pool had drive and determination, while Quakers didn't.

Kevin Henderson and Tommy Miller put Pool two-up, Glenn Naylor reduced the deficit with minutes remaining, but there was to be no late comeback for the visitors as Pool had allowed Macclesfield and Mansfield in recent weeks - a few nerves surfaced, but there was too much at stake to slip up this time.

Quakers' chiefs Gary Bennett and Jim Montgomerie claimed they were unlucky not to be heading back along the A66 with at least a point. You'll be hard pressed to find anyone else in Victoria Park on Saturday to agree with that sentiment.

And in true derby manner, the manager's views on the game were a million miles apart.

From the first whistle, Turner's side showed they had the will to gt the better of their opponents.

With barely five minutes on the clock Henderson had charged down attempted clearances from Adam Reed and Craig Liddle and gave Pool the impetus. Soon Reed was to pay for his indecision as Henderson pounced.

The right-back tried to head the ball back to Andy Collett, left it short, and Henderson was quickly onto the slip up for goal number six of the season and his third in as many outings.

Reed won back some brownie points when he stopped Anth Lormor from getting any power to a diving header after Paul Arnison crossed from deep. But it was 27 minutes before the visitors got anywhere near Anthony Williams goal. Lee Nogan got behind the three-man back line and as he teed the ball up to shoot, only a saving tackle from on-loan Steve Baker kept him out. Pool's energetic display kept Quakers in check.

From the back, Craig Liddle and Neil Aspin tried to play the ball around, but with Martin Gray not finding any room for manoeuvre and the front men not making any headway, more often than not there was no end product.

Liddle - as ever was Quakers' prime performer. Even when Pool pressed he was unflappable to the extent it looks like he hardly breaks out of first gear.

There again, his reading of the game and positional sense are so impeccable he barely has to break sweat.

Up front Nogan failed to hit it off with Beavers and the three-goal front man went into the book before the break whn frustration got the better of Him as he argued the toss with the officials.

Strike-partner Beavers was every bit as ineffective as he was when he ended last season on loan at Pool and just like in his last Pool performance - against Quakers in the play-offs at Victoria Park - he was hauled off at the break.

Two minutes after Richad Hodgson's arrival on the left wing, Andy Collett kept his side in the hunt with a fine save amid a goalmouth scramble.

Lormor and Miller both saw shots kept out, the latter by a full-stretch Collett, and from the resulting corner Gary Hisworth fly-kicked Chris Westwood's mis-hit effort off the line.

Quakers had more shape and direction with the arrival of Hodgson as they exerted pressure on Darren Knowles.

Bennett felt his side played the better football, accusing Pool o being a long-ball team. Pretty football doesn't often get you far in Division Three, Turner found that out to his cost earlier in the season when he tried it against Shrewsbury and Cheltenham in two home games that yielded one point.

"Maybe we tried to pass the ball too much against their long ball game - they are a huff and puff side,'' reflected Bennett. "But we won't change things, we are a footballing team and won't resort to route one stuff.''

"His was about two different systems, they like to play it across the back and we play a bit more direct,'' said Turner. "We get the ball up to the forwards a bit quicker and put them under pressure. but we were reall up for it and showed the fight for the battle.''

Himsworth pumped in a dangerous cross and only a timely headed interception from Westwood cleared the pressure.

Tim Sperrevik replaced knee-injury victim Henderson at the break and it was down to the Norwegian's persistence that Pool made it two.

The all-action front man was put on by Turner to "throw himself about a bit" and soon harassed Aspin into losing possession. Collett denied Sperrevik his first goal in English football when he blocked his effort, but after losing out to the keeper he rolled the ball back into the path of Miller who struck first-time to net.

Baker joined Gray and Nogan in the book when he brought down Naylor as he closed in on Williams, referee Alan Butler issuing yellow despite the visitors' protests, but Baker's bacon was probably saved by Knowles racig back behind the on-loan stopper to offer cover.

Bennett introduced Brian Atkinson for the closing quarter, switching to a 3-4-3 formation in the process and he made a tidy return in his first appearance of the campaign.

Pool were denied what looked a clear-cut penalty on 77 when Liddle palmed away Lormor's chip. Three seasons ago, Pool were denied a similar blatant penalty and it was the turning point as Quakers clawed back a two-goal deficit to draw 2-2, there was no repeat this time.

Campbell spared some rare Quakers' passion when he lunged in on Strodder and the resultant scrap involved 18 players with the two prime movers going into the book.

Hodgson should have scored on 86 when he forced Williams into his first real save of the game, but he shot weakly from a good position.

Two minutes later Nogan squared from the by-line and Naylor was on hand to tap in. It caused one or two fingernails to be shortened on the home terraces as events of Macclesfield and Mansfield were brought home. And Hodgson could have done better in injury time when he screwed wide aftr failing to connect properly from six yards.

But a draw would have been an injustice. Derby games are all about fight and spirit, only one team showed any this time.

Goals: Henderson (9mins, 1-0); Miller (65, 2-0); Naylor (88, 2-1)

Bookings: Gray, Baker, Strodder, Campbell (fouls), Liddle, Nogan (dissent)

Referee: Alan Butler

Attendance: 3,265

HARTLEPOOL (3-5-2): Williams 7; Strodder 7, Baker 7, Westwood 7; Knowles 6, Miller 7, Stephenson 7, Arnison 6 (Fitzpatrick 63, 6), Shilton 6; Henderson 7 (Sperrevik 46, 7), LORMOR 8. Subs (not used): Midgley, Sharp, Porter (gk)

DARLINGTON (4-4-2): Collett 7; Reed 6, Aspin 7, LIDDLE 7, Himsworth 6; Gray 6, Campbell 6, Elliott 6 (Hjorth 59, 6), Naylor 6; Nogan 6, Beavers 6 (Hodgson 46, 7). Subs (not used): Angel, Finch (gk).

MAN OF THE MATCH: ANTH Lormor - never stopped working