Don’t worry, Life ain’t going to trot out a pun revolving around the name of Hartlepool United’s head coach every time Pools win.
But after a six-match losing streak in the National League, an exciting 4-2 triumph at Forest Green Rovers deserves something of a fanfare.
For new boss Pete Wild, for his players and for the 76 Poolies, who made the journey to Gloucestershire for a Saturday tea-time kick-off.
Take a bow too Jordan Hugill and Nathan Sheron. Or should that read take a bow two?
The team’s senior stagers played the starring roles on the immaculate New Lawn magnificently with a brace apiece.
It would be hard to tell who the moment would be sweeter for.
Thirty-something Hugill has had to wait a long, long time to score again in blue and white.
Some of his winning team-mates were still at primary school the last time Hugill bagged a double for Pools – way back in May 2015, when Ronnie Moore’s heroes ended the Great Escape with a dramatic 3-3 comeback draw at Carlisle United.
Hugill, a man with a vast array of experience encompassing all five of England’s main divisions, spoke to Life last week about his desire to help Pools out of the hole they are in.
These two goals represent a tremendous start.
And while he is probably too nice a guy to admit it, Life would bet that Sheron’s two goals tasted as though he’d won the World Cup.
The 28-year-old has come in for some dog’s abuse in recent weeks, along with team-mates Jack Hunter and Jamie Miley.
It’s all been OTT. Sheron, who has made our county home for his family, recently celebrated pulling on a Pools shirt for the 100th time.
The Scouser might come from another ‘Pool on the other side of the country but Hartlepool means a lot to him.
Saturday’s display was from the top drawer.
Booked in the opening seconds, the midfielder had a tightrope to walk but two superbly-executed tackles inside his own box when Pools were under the cosh were as vital as this two goals, no to mention numeros blocks.
Hats off to Wild as well. Eight goals and nine points in 12 games were embarrassing numbers for Pools going into the long away day.
The new figures of 12 and 12 from 13 are hardly earth shattering, but it represents, we hope, the start of something good under Pete.
If you are looking for omens, and after the bilge we’ve all had to witness at the town’s club, you’ll forgive us for grasping at this one.
Dave Challinor’s first match in charge seven years ago was also at a south-west outpost, Yeovil, where four goals also went flying in.
Life has sent a memo to the sporting gods federation to see if anything similar is feasible.
Wild made five changes, some enforced, some not, and included one of his new signings, Jack Earing, as part of the three men supporting Hugill.
It was almost a dream debut as the man on loan from Barrow dinked a neat attempt over home keeper Ethan Ross, which was heading towards the net, only for Freddie Sass to clear.
Managerless Forest Green are hardly in great nick themselves in mid-table but they had their moments and Pools keeper Max Thompson needed to produce a save from full-back Kelvin Abrefa.
When the goal came, in first-half stoppage time, it came from the spot.
Luke Charman, making his first Pools start since February, won Pools a corner when Ross pushed his shot over. Cole Deeming’s wicked delivery caused Rovers problems and when Hugill was felled by a clumsy challenge, referee James Oldham blew for a penalty.
Hugill calmly picked out the goalie’s left-hand corner from 12 yards.
Within four minutes of the resumption, Pools had doubled their lead, from another Deeming corner. Rovers, again, could not get the ball clear and Sheron was the man in the right place to nod home from six yards.
Having just scored twice for the first time since the opening Saturday of the season, Pools were soon in dreamland when Hugill made it 3-0 in the 57th minute.
The striker picked up a loose ball 25 yards from goal and his first instinct was to pull the trigger. His instinct was correct as his shot beat the diving Ross to find the goalie’s right corner.
At 3-0, surely it was game over? But this is Pools and with over half an hour still to play it was too early to celebrate.
And so it proved as Forest Green replied with two goals inside six minutes.
Sub Omari Patrick ghosted into the area unmarked to slide in their first from Abrefa’s low right-wing cross and on 70 minutes, Chris Popov lunged in and tripped the lively Sean Etaluku.
Mr Oldham pointed to the spot, from where Rovers captain Kyle McAllister thumped his left-foot penalty past Thompson, even though the goalie had dived the correct way.
The momentum was very much with Forest Green with 20 minutes on the clock, but Pools fought for their lives.
And a moment of magic sealed the deal three minutes from time.
Sub Jack Nolan won the ball on the left and when it rolled invitingly into the path of Sheron, the midfielder let fly from 30 yards with his thunderbolt beating the despairing dive of Ross.
It wasn’t quite in the league of Carl Magnay’s wonder goal at Barrow back in 2018, but it was a special way to send Pools and their fans wild.
Forest Green: Ross; Abrefa, Ajayi, McIntyre, Sass (Kuemo 57); Campbell (Haughton 65), Kelly (Patrick 57); Etaluku, McAllister, Clarke; Marquez (Mellor 51)
Goals: Patrick 65, McAllister 70 pen
Booked: Clarke 45+4, Abrefa 51
Pools: Thompson; Eccleston, McNally, Hunter, Ilunga; Sheron, Deeming; Popov (Clark 74), Earing (Nolan 55), Charman (Thornton 55); Hugill (Harris 63). Subs (not used): Fisher, Bondo, Penman
Goals: Hugill 47+2 pen, 57, Sheron 48, 87
Booked: Sheron 2, Charman 39, Thornton 90+5
Ref: James Oldham Att: 1,755 (away 76)
Author: Roy
Author of Sports Life and all sports articles.