‘We were good value for the win’

Smith, on a day full of goalkeeping mistakes, came to try to clear across but got nowhere near the ball with his attempted punch, allowing substitute Jamie Bramwell to head home his first Gateshead goal.

- Robbie Stelling

When supporters look back on this season, there might well be one or two rueful glances towards the top seven. Pools, who are seven points adrift of the play-off places and are mathematically out of the race, might well have been able to capitalise on the struggles of the likes of Gateshead, Oldham, Halifax and Rochdale, all of whom have endured indifferent runs of late, had it not been for a miserable spell when Limbrick's side failed to win for eight successive matches.