Hartlepool Mail: Hignett blasts Pools into final

NEW signing Craig Hignett rolled back the years with a stunning brace to fire Hartlepool United into the Reserves League Cup final.
And there was further cause for celebration as Joel Porter, in only his second full match since his knee operation five months ago, impressively grabbed the winner as Pools twice came from behind to secure their place in the final.
Reserves boss Ian Butterworth was delighted with the result but he admitted his side made it hard for themselves in a clash that was far more comfortable than the scoreline suggested.
Butterworth insisted that it was another example of the winning mentality which has led the first team to the top of League Two.
"It'll be nice for the lads to be in a final," said Butterworth. "We said at the start of the season that you go into every competition wanting to win it whether it is the first team, reserves or youth team.
"It was a decent game. We made hard work of it mind you.
"They had a young side out but the likes of Bridges have a bit of quality.
"We didn't quite pass the ball as quickly as we would have liked in the first half but it was still a bit of a surprise to find ourselves 1-0 and then 2-1 down.
"In the second half we moved the ball around a lot quicker, there was some nice football, and overall I think we deserved to win."
The second string fell behind against the run of play after just 13 minutes when Tigers striker Will Atkinson slotted home a low shot from the edge of the box.
After attempts at both ends, including a shot by Hignett that was parried wide by Aspden, Pools drew level.
A corner taken by Willie Boland, making an impressive return after 11 weeks out with a hamstring strain, was brilliantly headed home by Hignett.
Former Sunderland striker Michael Bridges was also looking sharp, forcing keeper Jim Provett to make some key saves until a clever pass across the face of goal gave him an easy tap-in on 56 minutes to make it 2-1.
Pools stepped up a gear as a result.
Boland could have been smoking a cigar whilst containing Hull's advances and recent signing Michael Mackay was extremely lively and unlucky not to get on the scoresheet.
The former Consett goal machine was denied three times by stunning saves from keeper Curtis Aspden and went close on another couple of occasions.
The breakthrough came after a stunning equaliser from the inspirational Hignett, who cut across the field before turning to power the ball into the bottom-right from 20 yards away.
Then Porter deservedly put the reserves ahead, latching onto another Hignett through-ball before drilling home with quarter of an hour remaining.
"It was nice to see Joel getting his goal and what can you say about Hignett, he is quality and you don't lose that," Butterworth said.
"Michael Mackay was really sharp in the second half as well and it took a couple of brilliant saves to stop him," said Butterworth.
"He is a big threat and he was unlucky not to have had a hat-trick."
Pools will now face either Shrewsbury or Lincoln, who clash tonight.

POOLS: Provett, P. Turnbull, Horner, D. Williams, Tinkler, Boland, Hignett (Young 84), Clarke, Porter, Mackay, Foley (Maidens 76).
Subs not used: Rae, Gott, Proudlock.