HARTLEPOOL U 1
Dieseruwe 72 (pen)
FC HALIFAX TN 0
FORMER European Golden By Paul Fraser Shoe winner Kevin Phillips described striker Mani Dieseruvwe as ‘massive’ for Hartlepool United after firing the winning goal to put him in the club’s history books.
The 29-year-old powered in the match-winning penalty with 18 minutes remaining to end Pools’ own run of five matches without a win – and lift them eight points clear of the relegation zone.
In finding the net, Dieseruvwe became only the fourth Hartlepool player to score 20 se league goals in a season in the last 50 years, following Adam Boyd, Joe Allon and Paul Baker.
The former Halifax man, who only left the Shaymen last summer, showed no nerves in powering in the dead ball after Terrell Agyemang was tripped in the area by Tylor Golden; moments after goalkeeper Sam Johnson dawdled on a back pass.
And former Sunderland and England striker Phillips, whose Pools side bounced back from a 7-1 defeat at Gateshead in midweek, said: “I’m delighted for Mani because he was awesome against his old club after not scoring for a few games.
“If Mani had not been in this side then we’d be in a relegation fight, that’s how important he is. It’s a staggering stat to be the only Hartlepool player to score 20 league goals in the last 19 years. It’s crazy. You need a striker to be successful and he is a great lad.”
Phillips added: “This result is why we all love football. You have tons of setbacks and all you ever ask for is a reaction, no matter what you do in life.
“There was a reaction from a group of players who were lower than a snake’s belly before. I thank the staff for doing that and lifting me too.
“The r
