Hartlepool United made the 450-mile trip home from Truro City worthwhile with a 1-0 victory in the Enterprise National League.
Charlie Caton’s second half strike proved to be the difference between the two sides who are battling for places in both ends of the table.
The result keeps Pools’ play-off push alive whilst the bid for survival by the Tinners becomes slimmer.
Nicky Featherstone – who served a touchline ban following his red card at the Prestige Group Stadium the weekend prior – made two changes to the side that lost 1-0 to FC Halifax Town. Injured skipper Tom Parkes and Adam Campbell made way for Jack Hunter and Caton.
Cam John was shown an early yellow card after a series of late challenges.
There were appeals for a Truro penalty after 12 minutes after John slid in to deny Dominic Johnson-Fisher, but the officials were satisfied with the challenge.
Jay Benn fed through Caton in the 19th minute who squared the ball across the Tinners box to Alex Reid, who was unable to connect with the ball from close range and break the deadlock.
That would prove to be the closest Pools would come in the first half besides two chances on the half-hour mark where Matty Daly’s shot would be redundant due to the offside flag, and a vital stop from Aidan Stone in the Truro net to deny Tyrese Sinclair.
The second half would burst into life when Caton would steal a loose ball in the Truro half, drove on goal and would see his initial strike parried back to him to slot home and open the scoring in front of the travelling supporters.
Nick Hayes produced a big stop on the hour mark to deny what would have been a certain goal for Luke Jephcott and keep the hosts at bay.
Truro would come knocking a few times more, but would be unable to produce an outstanding threat to Pools before full time.
Pools: Hayes, Benn, John, Kouogun, Sheron ©, Hunter, Miley, Reid (Campbell 77’), Daly, Caton (Oliver 82’), Sinclair (Folarin 82’)
Unused subs: Smith, Ferguson, Walker, Okike
Goal: Caton (49’)
