James Poole scored twice as Pools ran out 3-1 winners against Bishop Auckland at the Heritage Stadium on Wednesday evening.
All of the game's goals arrived in an entertaining and open second half, but it was Pools who proved the more clinical in the final third to clinch the victory.
Neale Cooper took the chance to look at free agent Nathan Porritt who was named on the left side of midfield in a late change to the team-sheet after Colin Nish withdrew from the starting eleven suffering from a sore knee.
The first half was a largely subdued affair with few clear cut opportunities, Nathan Luscombe looking most likely to break through in the opening half hour but he twice saw efforts saved by the keeper and stabbed a third chance wide of the post.
Colin Larkin - again turning out for Pools as he maintains his fitness - also had a couple of half decent openings but slammed one long-range effort just wide and had another well saved following good work on the right by Ritchie Humphreys.
The game burst in to life within five minutes of the restart as Bishops attacker Andy Johnson got in behind and finished neatly to give the hosts a 1-0 lead.
However, it was an advantage which was to last only ninety seconds as Poole managed to find time in the box to clinically volley home a loose ball in acrobatic style from ten yards.
Poole came close to adding a second when he headed Larkin's cross just wide, while at the other end trialist keeper Adam McHugh made two fine saves to keep the game level at 1-1.
Pools went ahead midway through the half when Larkin turned neatly in to space on the halfway line and fed Jordan Richards down the right, and the full-back's well placed cross was deftly tucked away by Poole at the front post.
And substitute Ben Wignall rounded off the scoring in the final minute when he got on the end of Nathan Luscombe's right-wing corner to bundle the ball in to the net.
Full Time: Bishop Auckland 1 Pools 3
Pools: McHugh, Richards, Baldwin, Johnson, Holden, Larkin, Humphreys (Wignall 46), Murray, Porritt, Poole, Luscombe.
Subs not used: Tuck, Hedley.
Attendance: 188