HOME fans were heading for the exits long before the end as a thoroughly professional performance put Town back into the play-off zone.
This was a second away win in five days for Lee Clark’s side, who are now unbeaten in nine League I matches.
And there was the welcome bonus of a clean sheet as Town added the scalp of Hartlepool to that of Carlisle.
Gary Roberts’ 15th-minute penalty and Neal Trotman’s first Town goal in the 66th minute clinched a fifth away league win and a third double after MK Dons and Yeovil.
It would be unfair to suggest Hartlepool were never in the hunt, because Town produced two goalline clearances at key moments while Alex Smithies made a superb close-range block to stop Denis Behan opening the scoring in the 13th minute.
But Clark’s side, who climbed back into the top six after Millwall lost at Wycombe, were well worth their win.
They remained calm in the face of some rugged early challenges – Pools centre-back Gary Liddle was booked for scything through Lee Peltier after just 32 seconds – and withstood a spell of home pressure before taking a firm grip on the contest.
That was despite losing Peltier after 21 minutes, the right-back unable to continue after failing to run off the shin injury inflicted by Liddle’s late tackle.
Tom Clarke went on and showed his useful versatility by shackling the dangerous Andy Monkhouse, whose eighth-minute header had been hacked off the line by Roberts.
A well-placed low cross by the impressive Ritchie Jones just evaded the stretching Antony Sweeney in the 12th minute.
Then came Smithies’ save from Irishman Behan, the keeper spreading himself well to stop the shot with his body.
Within two minutes, Town were ahead, with energetic frontmen Lee Novak and Jordan Rhodes behind the breakthrough spot kick.
Rhodes surged after Novak’s flick-on, causing panic between ex-Town man Sam Collins and Scott Flinders, and when the striker touched the loose ball on, he was felled by the former Barnsley keeper.
Roberts coolly sent Flinders the wrong way from the spot, much to the delight of the 964 Town fans in a 4,452 crowd massed behind that goal.
Monkhouse was cautioned for an aerial challenge on Peltier two minutes later, and the Pools fans’ frustration increased further as hard-working Town duo Danny Drinkwater and Antony Kay bossed the midfield contest.
At the back, Peter Clarke and Trotman were cutting out whatever came their way, and Town might well have gone further ahead in first-half stoppage time but for a bizarre bit of refereeing by Anthony Taylor.
While Tom Clarke and Peter Hartley went down after both challenged for a Pools corner, Taylor allowed Town to break upfield through Drinkwater.
Rhodes continued the move and was squaring he ball to an unmarked Novak when the Cheshire official finally whistled to allow Hartley to be treated.
Hartlepool began the second half far better than they had ended the first, and Kay was alert to head Adam Boyd’s 59th-minute shot off the line.
And Town fans were able to breathe far more easily after Trotman doubled the lead.
Novak headed Roberts’ flag kick from the Town right towards the far top corner, and as the ball bounced down off the underside of the bar, the on-loan Preston player applied the finishing touch with a close-range nod.
Match photos from Saturday's clash - click on the icon below.
Chris Turner’s team were clearly deflated, and Kay was narrowly off target with a low 77th-minute effort before substitute Colin Larkin summed up Pools’ afternoon by blazing over from a great position with the goal gaping.
