Roy O'Donovan hit a hat-trick this afternoon to give Pools a comfortable 3-0 victory over League One strugglers Southend United.
The on-loan striker put in a man-of-the-match performance to hit every goal of the game and lead Chris Turner's men to a much-needed victory, which sees Pools move six points above the danger zone.
Pools controlled this game from the off, with a professional display earning a first-half two-goal lead.
Within minutes of the kick-off, the referee had to make a big decision as Roy O'Donovan was tripped running into the area and, with though the referee seemed to ignore the challenge, his assistant immediately signalled the foul.
With the players calling for the penalty, the official insisted on the free kick; Neil Austin stepped up to take it but sent his effort over the bar.
Adam Boyd, who was back to his taunting back this afternoon, tried his luck with a cheeky looping volley which dipped just at the right time, but unfortunately Steve Mildenhall reacted well to tip the effort over for a corner.
For Southend United this afternoon, Damian Scannell provided their only real outlet for much of the first half - first clipping a ball at goal from a wide left position which went just wide of Flinders' far post and then
But Pools dealt easily with the slightly muted threat from Southend, spending the majority of their time pushing on in search of an opener.
And it didn't take long for one to arrive; in the 16th minute of play, the busy Joe Gamble pushed the ball on for Boyd who sent an inch-perfect pass forward for strike partner O'Donovan.
The Irish striker showed the Pools fans exactly what he can offer to the squad, showing good pace to power in on goal and then sealed the move with a clinical finish to make it 1-0.
Both Simon Francis and Scott Vernon tried their luck with strikes on goal but Flinders was barely tested with either effort and Pools continued to push forward.
The second goal saw Boyd and O'Donovan combine again; this time Boyd sent a ball over the top for his fellow striker. With the Irish forward being judged to be on side in a tight call, O'Donovan ran through to slot past Mildenhall and grab his second of the game.
Francis Laurent for the visitors made himself no friends at The Vic today with a couple of enthusiastic falls around the penalty area - one earning him a freekick late in the first half but Monkhouse met the busy Simon Francis' ball and the danger cleared.
So Pools went in at half time with a two-goal lead, just as they had in the corresponding fixture at Roots Hall earlier this season.
But while Steve Tilson's men overturned that lead at home, a similar comeback seemed unlikely this afternoon.
There was a more determined start to the second period from Southend though as they enjoyed more possession and made Pools work harder.
While the first half had been relatively easy for Turner's men, the second looked set to provide a stiffer test.
Ritchie Jones gave Pools an outlet as he burst forward down the right wing before sending a good ball in for Boyd; the striker did well to get a shot away but saw his effort go wide of target.
At the other end, Laurent pushed his way in to meet a cross into the area but his header went wide of target, while Franck Moussa sent a dangerous ball in from the edge of the box which was deflected just narrowly wide by Sweeney.
The Pools' midfielder went close to scoring himself as he linked well with O'Donovan down the right but, after slipping the ball through the legs of Baldwin, neither Sweeney or the two-goal front man could push the ball home.
O'Donovan, looking for his hat-trick this afternoon, showed great pace to power in on goal and create his own opening but the pacy forward sent his long-range effort just wide of Mildenhall's left-hand post.
While Southend did enjoy more possession in this second half, there was still little to really threaten the Pools goal - if anything, it was Turner's men who looked more likely to add to the scoresheet.
Things turned from bad to worse for Southend as they were reduced to ten men late in the game with Alan McCormack, who had been booked earlier in the game, receiving a second caution for a poor challenge on Monkhouse.
O'Donovan picked up a great cross-field ball from Monkhouse to push on for his third - the striker twisted past his marker but couldn't get past Mildenhall with his effort from a tight angle.
Simon Francis came close to tarnishing the result this afternoon as he fired in with venom from the edge of the box but the ball zipped through the box and crashed off the woodwork.
The last word this afternoon though belonged to Roy O'Donovan; Denis Behan fed the ball through for his former Cork City teammate and O'Donovan showed composure as he turned into space to send the ball past Mildenhall to seal his hat-trick in the 90th minute of play.
And so Pools made it a comfortable and deserved 3-0 victory at The Vic this afternoon - just the result that was needed to set them up for a run of three away games in succession.
Att: 3299 (211 Southend United)
Pools: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Liddle, Hartley, Jones (Brown 63), Sweeney, Gamble (Humphreys 69), Monkhouse, O'Donovan, Boyd (Behan 79)
Subs Not Used: Cook, Haslam, McSweeney, Bjornsson
Southend United: Mildenhall, Barrett, Mvoto (Malone 46), Baldwin, Francis, Scannell, McCormack, Moussa, Laurent, Vernon, Paterson (Spencer 73)
Subs Not Used: Sankofa, Herd, Jack, Crawford
