Jordan Hugill and Nathan Sheron both scored twice as Hartlepool United ended a six-match National League losing run with a 4-2 victory at Forest Green Rovers, giving Pete Wild his first win as Pools head coach after the hosts had recovered from three goals down to make it 3-2.
Wild made five changes to his starting line-up, handing new signing Jack Earing his full debut and Luke Charman his first competitive start in eight months. Earing nearly marked his debut with a goal when he lifted an effort over Ethan Ross, but Freddie Sass cleared before the ball crossed the line. Cole Deeming also tested Ross with a free-kick that the goalkeeper turned behind.
Forest Green had chances of their own before the interval. Debutant Tom McIntyre headed narrowly wide from a Kyle McAllister corner, while Kelvin Abrefa was denied by a good save from Max Thompson after breaking into the Hartlepool penalty area.
The visitors took the lead in the second minute of first-half stoppage time when Hugill was brought down inside the area following a corner. The striker took the penalty himself and sent Ross the wrong way to give Hartlepool a 1-0 half-time advantage.
Hartlepool doubled their lead three minutes after the restart. Ross tipped a Luke Charman effort over the bar, but the resulting corner caused problems in the Forest Green penalty area and Sheron headed home after the ball broke loose. Hugill then made it 3-0 in the 57th minute, turning on the edge of the box before beating Ross with a dipping shot from around 20 yards.
Forest Green responded eight minutes later through substitute Omari Patrick, who met Abrefa’s delivery and finished from close range. The hosts reduced the deficit further in the 70th minute when they were awarded a penalty, which captain McAllister converted to bring Rovers back to 3-2 with 20 minutes remaining.
Jayden Clarke and McAllister both tried their luck from distance as Forest Green searched for an equaliser, but Hartlepool restored their two-goal advantage in the 87th minute. Substitute Jack Nolan found Sheron outside the penalty area and the midfielder struck a powerful 30-yard effort into the top corner beyond Ross to complete his brace.
Sheron’s second goal ended Forest Green’s hopes of completing the comeback and secured Hartlepool’s first league victory since beating Woking on 5 September. Wild’s side had lost six successive matches before the trip to Gloucestershire, including his first game in charge against Tamworth the previous weekend.
The victory moved Hartlepool to 12 points from 13 National League matches, lifting them to 20th place. Forest Green, who had drawn their previous two league games against Sutton United and Wealdstone, extended their winless run to five matches and remained 16th with 15 points.
