Hartlepool Utd 4 Crewe Alexandra 0: Two-goal Lewis Alessandra eyes repeat show against Exeter

The midfielder bagged a brace as Pools trounced visitors Crewe 4-0.

It was a vital result for Pools and a huge shot in the arm ahead of Saturday’s visit of sixth-top Exeter.

Dave Jones’s side moved six points clear of the League Two drop zone and Alessandra is looking for more of the same on Saturday.

A four-goal romp did not look on when the 28-year-old put his side one up just before the break.

But the second period was a different story as Padraig Amond’s superb 12th goal of the season made it 2-0 in the 71st minute.

Pools then finished with a flourish with Alessandra’s second goal before Nathan Thomas added a fourth in stoppage time. “It was a great win in the end and we’ll be looking to carry that into Saturday,” said Alessandra.

“We’ve had some good performances of late but not had the results, we’ve drawn and lost too many times when we could have had better results.

“The confidence we got from that win is massive, especially with us being such a young team.

“We can now take that belief into Saturday’s game.

“The second half was a complete contrast to the first but I think a win’s been coming.”

Hartlepool Utd: Fryer, Richardson, Walker, Harrison, Donnelly, Woods (Hawkes 90), Featherstone, Alessandra, Oates (Hawkins 90), Rooney (Amond 61), Thomas. Subs not used: Bartlett, Smith, Martin. Booked: Thomas, Oates. Goals: Alessandra 45 & 85, Amond 71, Thomas 90.

Crewe: Garratt, Turton, Ray, Nugent, Bakayogo (Ng 75), Cooke, Jones, Bingham, Cooper (Ainley 74), Bowery, Kiwomya (Kirk 74). Subs not used: Richards, Wintle, Pickering, Finney. Booked: Bakayogo, Nugent.

Att: 3,043. Ref: Richard Clark (Northumberland)