Hartlepool United Women kickstarted their league season against Harrogate Town, defeating the Yorkshire side 2-1 in a cagey affair at Grayfields. Hannah Dixon’s strike and Justine Robinson’s free-kick proved to be the decisive goals.
The game kicked off in an open fashion, neither side had won so far this season and both would have targeted the game as a potential victory. Dixon has already netted five so far this season and she saw some early attempts on the Harrogate goal. The visitors also saw their fair share of chances with Lauren Ranson closing an attacker down well to block a shot on goal.
Midfielder Lottie Portas saw plenty of the ball in the centre of the park and she was positive in looking to drive Pools forward. She struck twice from distance but both were held by the visiting goalkeeper - Alisha Smith also hit a half volley just wide from 18 yards.
Pools had the lion’s share of opportunities in the later stages of the first half and could count themselves unlucky not to have gone into the interval ahead. Emily Stuart fired over on the rebound after Smith’s free-kick was saved and Dixon spurned a chance when through one-on-one with the goalkeeper.
Heads didn’t drop in the second half and Pools went ahead within two minutes of the restart. Dixon picked up the ball from Leo Kennedy’s pass forward, charged towards the box before hitting a powerful shot hard and true past the Harrogate keeper.
This fired up the visitors who levelled three minutes later. Pools failed to clear their lines after a corner and after Eleanor Hall’s shot hit the post, Hannah Whitehead was on hand to bundle in the rebound.
As with so many occasions over the years, Pools’ game winner proved to be the experienced Justine Robinson. Robinson was provided with a free-kick from 25 yards and she hit the set piece over the wall into the net, grazing the underside of the crossbar.
Harrogate applied pressure throughout the later stages but failed to find an equaliser. They did have the ball in the back of the net as Rebecca Hitchen rounded Ranson to tap into the net. The referee adjudged that Hitchen had handled in the build-up and disallowed the goal, allowing Pools to hang on and claim all three points.
Craig Bage's side now turn their attention to the Women's FA Cup next weekend with a trip to Gateshead FC Ladies on Sunday, October 22 (2pm kick-off).