Pools took all three points from a scrappy game with Tranmere Rovers this afternoon.
A first-half Peter Hartley goal was enough to separate the teams in this tight affair and, although things weren't pretty, Chris Turner's men did enough to take the 1-0 win.
Tranmere Rovers were first to try their luck on goal - with two early chances to test the Pools rearguard.
With Scott Flinders reacting well to deny the first, Neil Austin popped up on the line with a great powerful header to deny Gareth Edds who rose in space to head at goal. With Edds firing in unchallenged, a goal looked on the cards until Austin reacted well to head clear off the line.
Former Pools' man Ian (now) Thomas-Moore then fired in from the edge of the area but again Flinders reacted well to collect the effort.
At the other end, as Pools settled into the game, a Ritchie Humphreys corner kick from the right forced David Martin in the Tranmere goal, to react quickly to reach for the effort, only for it to curl out for another corner kick.
Ritchie Jones took the next corner from the left and saw his effort cleared only as far as the arriving Austin. The busy right back fired a thunderous effort goalwards, which just scraped over the angle of the goal.
With Tranmere Rovers setting out their stall to keep Pools at bay, often putting all eleven men behind the ball to deny Turner's men, chances proved few and far between in the first half.
And the visitors had to rely on the break for their chances on goal - looking most dangerous from set pieces. Thomas-Moore rose highest to head in from a corner but his effort went just wide of target.
For Pools, Denis Behan fired in with a trademark freekick from around 40 yards out but, despite making it through the area, his effort went wide of goal.
With half chances for both James Brown and Ritchie Humphreys, Pools looked the more likely to open the scoring but had to content with a dogged Tranmere backline.
Ian Goodison intercepted a great ball from Andy Monkhouse to Behan as Turner's men looked to settle a nervy crowd.
And with 43 minutes on the clock, the opener arrived at just the right time for Pools.
A Jones corner kick from the left was headed on by Paul McLaren trying to clear but his header found Peter Hartley waiting at the far post and, with the Rovers defence looking somewhat stationary, the left back was able to head past Martin and into the back of the net.
A perfectly-timed goal from Pools and that all-important opener gave Chris Turner's men just the lift they needed going into the break.
Pools came out bright after the break, with a higher tempo to proceedings that in the first half.
There were two early chances for Turner's men to grab a second goal after the interval; first Brown picked the ball up in a position that looked to be offside but with play allowed to carry on, he made his way down the right wing before lifting a great ball into the middle of the box. His ball just missed the arriving Boyd though and Ian Goodison bundled clear.
Andy Monkhouse then picked out Peter Hartley with a lovely ball and the left back in turn fed a good ball on for Behan in the area but the big striker could not keep his shot down and the ball rose high over the bar.
At the other end, in what was a livelier second half, Terry Gornell was allowed space inside the area to curl a low effort at goal but fortunately the ball went just wide of goal.
Credit to Tranmere, they continued to plug away and make things difficult for Pools at both ends; Sam Collins called into action to hook clear a dangerous ball from Gornell in the area, while Thomas-Moore just missed out on a good ball over the top that left Austin chasing.
And there was something of a nervy period for Pools as the visitors pressed for an equaliser; Ian Goodison stepped out from the back line to push forward, playing a good ball out to Craig Curran who whipped in a teasing ball from the right - forcing Flinders to tip the effort over the bar.
From the resulting corner kick, it was Goodison who again caused problems with his sheer physical presence, winning a second corner for his efforts.
There was a chance for Pools to wrap it up in the 76th minute with a great ball down the left from Monkhouse setting up a great move which ended when Behan put a ball into the box for sub Billy Greulich. The big striker was brave in the challenge but Martin held the ball.
Former Pools' loan man Chris Shuker, on as a second-half sub sent a teasing effort at goal which saw Flinders out at full stretch but fortunately the ball went just wide of target.
There was a blow for Turner's men in the 78th minute when James Brown was fouled running in on goal, injuring his ankle in the process and limped from the field to be replaced by Leon McSweeney.
Pools could have sealed things late in the game when Austin showed top determination to push in along the right byline before pushing the ball square for Behan but the Irish front man did not get enough on the ball and Martin held.
There was more worry for Pools before the final whistle as there was a game of pinball inside the box, with Tranmere throwing everything at goal - fortunately for Pools, Austin popped up again at the last minute to poke wide.
Sub Charlie Barnett was shown his marching orders late in the game for a cynical two-footed challenge on Neil Austin as he looked to clear.
Goodison, who seemed on a one-man mission to draw level this afternoon, pushed into the area from the left late in extra time to skip past Austin and fire at goal - fortunately Collins blocked and Pools were safe.
There was relief at the final whistle as Pools recorded a much-needed home win this afternoon - seeing off a dogged Tranmere outfit and digging deep to hold on to the 1-0 lead and record their first successive victories of the current campaign.
Next up for Turner's outfit is a long trip to face Brighton when Pools will be looking to make it three wins in a row.
Att: 3428 (207 Tranmere)
Pools: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Liddle, Hartley, Brown (McSweeney 78), Humphreys, Jones, Monkhouse, Boyd (Greulich 73), Behan (Sweeney 85)
Subs Not Used: Cook, Haslam, Fredriksen, Bjornsson
Tranmere Rovers: Martin, Logan, Edds, Goodison, McLaren, Broomes, Thomas-Moore, Welsh (Barnett 76), Gornell (Shuker 67), Bakayogo, Curran (Bain 82)
Subs Not Used: Cresswell, Mahon, Taylor, Daniels
