Pools cast aside their away day blues with a battling 2-1 victory over Peterborough United this afternoon.

Goals from Andy Monkhouse and Richard Barker sealed victory for Danny Wilson's men in a game which saw Pools having to defend strongly for periods.

Pools were pushed from the off this afternoon as Peterborough United set the early pace in this game.

Inspired by the tricky Sergio Torres, Posh really pressed the Pools defence back early on and Sam Collins and co were given a tough early work out on a hot afternoon.

A ball from Torres on the right found Aaron Mclean in space but his downwards header went just wide of the near post.

Torres then went for goal himself when he fired in from the edge of the box but his effort rose just over the bar.

And Torres then lifted a great ball over the top which just escaped the head of Sam Collins for Craig Mackail-Smith who ran in on goal with only Arran Lee-Barrett to beat, but the big Pools' stopper did well to run out to the edge of his area, narrow the angle and block the final shot.

Pools did work their way more into the game as the half moved on and a good ball in from the left by Joel Porter was set to be met by either James Brown or Andy Monkhouse until Craig Morgan rose well to nod out for a corner kick.

But it was still in defence that Pools' hardest work was done in the first half; good work by George Boyd saw him tussle past both Ritchie Humphreys and Andy Monkhouse in the box but fortunately Michael Nelson was in the perfect position to put Boyd's final cross out wide.

Jamie McCunnie had to be alert to clear a Boyd effort off the line while Pools were fortunate late in the half when a ball from Torres which bounced through the area was misjudged by Mackail-Smith, who put his final shot wide of target from six yards.

The two teams went in all square at half time with some strong defensive work by Pools ensuring the hosts had not grabbed the lead but Danny Wilson would have been looking for more action at the other end in the second half from his men.

The second half started much the same as the first with two good chances for Mclean but with Lee-Barrett saving well from the first and the striker heading wide with his second, Pools once again averted danger.

At the opposite end Sweeney found himself with a great chance when a ball in from Ritchie Humphreys on the left was spilled by Joe Lewis in the Posh goal - the bal fell nicely for Sweeney just inside the area and he smashed an effort at goal only to see it cannon off well-placed defender Blackett on the line.

But within fifteen minutes of the game re-starting Wilson's men had capitalised on two defensive errors to take a 2-0 lead.

Michah Hyde tried to get the ball away from the danger area but his fluffed clearance found Andy Monkhouse in a prime position just six yards out on goal and then the midfielder simply side-footed the ball past the stranded Lewis into the top of the net giving Pools a 1-0 lead.

Just one minute later and Richard Barker was introduced to the action and with just his second touch of the game the big striker was hitting home the second of the game.

Craig Morgan shepherded a ball back to his keeper, which Lewis failed to get to in time to deny Barker from running in a getting just the touch on the ball to send it rolling past the keeper and into the back of the net.

The hosts though continued to look a danger on the attack and clearly had no intention of allowing Pools to saunter to victory and, with thirteen minutes of the game left, Peterborough grabbed a lifeline back into the game and set things up for something of a tense finale.

George Boyd fired in from the edge of the box to make it 2-1 and give Peterborough a spur to fight to draw level and Wilson's men faced a nervous final few minutes to try and hold on to the lead.

And while Joe Lewis was something of a spectator for the remainder of the game, Arran Lee-Barrett was extremely busy with a succession of saves to deny the hosts. The big keeper got down well to deny Mclean and also did well to deny Boyd his second of the day.

Lee-Barrett then topped a very solid display as he did excellently well to hold a shot from Mackail-Smith who got on the end of a good ball from Boyd from the left but the big keeper made it look easy as he plucked the headed effort from the air as it was heading into the top left corner of the net.

Pools put in a clinical display at Peterborough United this afternoon to finally cast aside their away day blues.

Patient play from Wilson's men dealt well with periods of pressure from the hosts; taking their chances when they arose to take all three points from London Road this afternoon.

Next up for Pools is a midweek Johnstone's Paint Trophy tie with Leicester City at The Vic.

Att: 5728 (391 Pools)

Pools: Lee-Barrett, McCunnie, Nelson, Collins, Humphreys, Sweeney, Liddle, Jones, Monkhouse (Robson 83), Brown (Barker 59), Porter (Foley 74)
Subs: Rowell, Power

Peterborough United: Lewis, Martin, Blackett, Morgan, Hyde (Lee 69), McLean, Boyd, Keates (Whelpdale 69), Mackail-Smith, Day, Torres
Subs: Rendell, Green, Tyler