It was a convincing win for Pools this evening as they swept aside Neale Cooper's Gillingham to jump up to twelfth in League One.
With Hartlepool boxer Michael Hunter watching from the crowd, Gillingham were left punch-drunk by half-time and Pools dealt the knockout blows after the break.
Stand-in skipper Ritchie Humphreys was a dominant force for Pools throughout in what was his 200th consecutive League appearance for the Club, the 27-year-old combining well with the lively Thomas Butler down the left hand side, with the pair causing a make-shift Gillingham defence mounting problems.
And it was Humphreys who was instrumental in Pools' opening goal as he great determination to forge down the wing and whip a teasing ball into the area. In the melee than ensued, both Butler and Eifion Williams got touches but it was Jon DALY who got the killer touch as the big striker hit home from close range.
After setting out their stall early in the game, it was clearly another determined effort from a Pools side growing in confidence with every performance and they really could have created more chances with their early first-half possession.
Eifion Williams went close mid-way through the opening period when he fired a left-footed strike from the edge of the area across the face of goal, but his powerful effort was deflected out of play. With Lee Bullock firing just wide with a volley and Daly's header from a Humphreys free kick somehow being cleared, Pools showed glimpses of the stronger display to come.
The visitors created chances of their own and good work down the left by Matthew Jarvis saw the striker cut back and pick out Michael Flynn - but Flynn's powerful strike was saved well by Dimitrios Konstantopoulos. The Pools' keeper was called upon only once more in the opening period when Jarvis again, this time from the right, went past his markers to fire a shot at goal, but Konstantopoulos got down to save comfortably.
The second half proved to be a much more one-sided affair, with Pools stepping up a gear and really pressing their authority on the game. This renewed determination almost paid immediate reward as Jon Daly did well to control a high ball out of defence and, spotting Antony Sweeney at the far post, the striker lifted a ball into the area. Although Sweeney arrived just in time to power a header at goal, Tony Bullock pulled off a great save to keep him out.
Pools did make it two just minutes later though as Eifion Williams fed the ball forward for sub Michael Maidens and the youngster, who put in his strongest performance to date, was unlucky not to score himself. Maidens controlled the ball well, taking it past his marker but, unable to find space to shoot, he squared the ball for SWEENEY and the midfielder made no mistake to blast the ball home.
With confidence flowing through the team, Martin Scott's side began to play some impressive football and it looked only a matter of time before the third arrived. Maidens showed great pace to break down the right and whipped great ball across the face of goal which was desperately close to finding the in-rushing Butler at the far post. Michael Nelson went one step closer when he saw his diving header cannon off the post and back into play as Pools piled forward looking to make it three.
And, when the goal did come it was no surprise that it was Humphreys who was once again provider. The left-back whipped a great corner in from the right which found Lee BULLOCK in space in the area and the striker rose highest to glance home his third goal of the season.
With such a dominant performance from Pools in which the defence had very little to do, it was disappointing to concede a late goal. A Flynn free kick from the left side of the area found Francis Collin on the edge of the box and the striker blasted the ball through a crowded area and into the back of the net.
It was another important victory for Pools as they gained the three points from that crucial game in hand and now go into Saturday's FA Cup clash with a more comfortable League One standing.
Att: 4522 (133 away)
Pools: Konstantopoulos, Nelson, Llewellyn (Maidens 35), Humphreys, E Williams (Proctor 78), Daly, Sweeney, Bullock (S Turnbull 87), D Williams, Butler, Collins
Subs: Craddock, Provett,
Gillingham: Bullock, Williams (Johnson 49), Saunders, Cox, Crofts (Collin 71), Hessenthaler (Stone 63), Flynn, Hope, Harris, Jarvis, Wallis.
Subs: Crichton, Corneille
