A Lucas Akins double helped Tranmere to victory at Hartlepool.

The home side had the best chance of the first half, Owain Fon Williams tipping over Nathan Luscombe's long-range strike.

Akins got his first straight after the break, tapping home after Adam McGurk's shot was parried by Scott Flinders.

The attacker consigned Hartlepool to their third home defeat in succession when he turned in a long throw at the near post.

VIEWS FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Hartlepool United head coach Mick Wadsworth told BBC Tees:

"I thought we started the game very well. We had some good opportunities and I thought we were the better team.

"I was talking to their manager Les Parry and he said we must be disappointed that we went in 0-0, but within 30 seconds of the second half we went 1-0 down.

"That made it very difficult, as Tranmere have done very well at getting 1-0 wins away from home. We've pushed on and conceded a second goal which was equally awful from a defensive point of view."

Tranmere manager Les Parry told BBC Radio Merseyside:

"I think that's nine clean sheets we've kept in the league and that's fantastic.

"We need to keep this little run of form going and see where it takes us.

"It's nice to be in the top six, but it's another three points towards our target of 50, so you've got to look at it that way."

Lineup, Bookings (4) & Substitutions (5)

Hartlepool

  • 01 Flinders
  • 02 Austin
  • 05 Collins Booked
  • 06 Horwood
  • 12 Wright (Brown - 60' )
  • 29 Hartley
  • 04 Liddle
  • 11 Monkhouse
  • 14 Luscombe Booked
  • 20 Murray (Boyd - 60' )
  • 08 Poole

Substitutes

  • 21 Rafferty
  • 03 Humphreys
  • 07 Brown
  • 09 Nish
  • 10 Boyd

Tranmere

  • 01 fon Williams
  • 05 Goodison
  • 12 Taylor
  • 16 Buchanan Booked
  • 19 Raven
  • 08 Welsh
  • 10 Weir (Labadie - 90' )
  • 09 Tyriaki (Bakayogo - 71' )
  • 14 McGurk
  • 17 Akins Booked
  • 21 Baxter (Robinson - 79' )

Substitutes

  • 13 Coughlin
  • 03 Bakayogo
  • 15 Holmes
  • 04 Labadie
  • 11 Robinson
Ref: Brown
Att: 4,885

Match Stats

Shots

7 12

On target

3 8

Corners

5 1

Fouls

14 8

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +5:04 Full time

Full Time The game is over, as the referee blows his whistle.

90:00 +4:28 Substitution

Substitution Robbie Weir leaves the field to be replaced by Joss Labadie.

90:00 +1:58

Shot by Adam McGurk from deep inside the penalty area misses to the left of the target.

90:00 +0:49

The ball is swung over by Andy Monkhouse, clearance made by Zoumana Bakayogo.

90:00 +0:03

Adam Boyd gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Robbie Weir. Free kick taken by Owain Fon Williams.

88:25

The referee blows for offside against Adam McGurk. Neil Austin restarts play with the free kick.

88:02

Neil Austin crosses the ball, save by Owain Fon Williams.

85:28

Robbie Weir restarts play with the free kick.

85:28 Booking

Booking Booking for Nathan Luscombe.

85:20

Andy Robinson fouled by Nathan Luscombe, the ref awards a free kick.

82:54

Sam Collins concedes a free kick for a foul on Andy Robinson. Adam McGurk shoots direct from the free kick.

80:03

Unfair challenge on James Brown by Zoumana Bakayogo results in a free kick. Scott Flinders restarts play with the free kick.

78:54 Substitution

Substitution Andy Robinson is brought on as a substitute for Jose Baxter.

77:36

Robbie Weir gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Sam Collins. Free kick taken by Scott Flinders.

76:58

The ball is delivered by Ash Taylor.

75:42

Nathan Luscombe sends in a cross, Gary Liddle produces a overhead kick right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.

75:24

Corner taken by Evan Horwood from the right by-line, save by Owain Fon Williams.

74:56

Corner taken by James Brown, save by Owain Fon Williams.

72:49

Adam Boyd is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Owain Fon Williams.

72:05

The assistant referee flags for offside against Jose Baxter. Free kick taken by Scott Flinders.

70:18 Substitution

Substitution Mustafa Tiryaki goes off and Zoumana Bakayogo comes on.

70:00

Andy Monkhouse takes a shot. Save made by Owain Fon Williams.

69:05

James Poole gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on John Welsh. Free kick taken by Mustafa Tiryaki, Evan Horwood produces a cross, save by Owain Fon Williams.

67:35

Free kick crossed right-footed by Neil Austin from right channel, David Raven manages to make a clearance.

67:35 Booking

Booking Booking for Lucas Akins.

67:11

Lucas Akins concedes a free kick for a foul on Evan Horwood.

65:54

Assist by Adam McGurk.

65:54 Goal scored

Goal - Lucas Akins - Hartlepool 0 - 2 Tranmere Goal scored by Lucas Akins from close in to the bottom left corner of the goal. Hartlepool 0-2 Tranmere.

63:53

Nathan Luscombe gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jose Baxter. John Welsh takes the free kick.

60:18

Lucas Akins fouled by Andy Monkhouse, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Owain Fon Williams.

59:20 Substitution

Substitution Paul Murray leaves the field to be replaced by Adam Boyd.

59:20 Substitution

Substitution James Brown on for Stephen Wright.

58:33

Neil Austin gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Adam McGurk. Free kick taken by David Buchanan, Shot from just outside the box by Robbie Weir goes over the bar.

57:05

John Welsh restarts play with the free kick, Adam McGurk takes a shot. Save by Scott Flinders.

57:05 Booking

Booking The referee books Sam Collins for unsporting behaviour.

56:42

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jose Baxter by Sam Collins.

52:45

Centre by David Raven, clearance made by Peter Hartley.

51:39

Lucas Akins takes a shot. Blocked by Neil Austin.

48:24

Free kick awarded for a foul by Gary Liddle on John Welsh. David Raven takes the free kick.

47:23

Foul by Andy Monkhouse on John Welsh, free kick awarded. John Welsh takes the direct free kick.

46:53

The official flags Mustafa Tiryaki offside. Free kick taken by Scott Flinders.

45:39

Assist on the goal came from Robbie Weir.

45:39 Goal scored

Goal - Lucas Akins - Hartlepool 0 - 1 Tranmere Lucas Akins scores a goal from inside the six-yard box to the bottom right corner of the goal. Hartlepool 0-1 Tranmere.

45:21

Robbie Weir takes a shot. Save by Scott Flinders.

45:01

The second half begins.

45:00 +1:02 Half time

Half Time The match has reached half-time.

45:00 +0:51

The ball is swung over by Jose Baxter, save by Scott Flinders.

44:56

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Ian Goodison by James Poole. Free kick taken by Owain Fon Williams.

43:40

Andy Monkhouse challenges Robbie Weir unfairly and gives away a free kick. Owain Fon Williams takes the free kick.

41:05

Unfair challenge on Andy Monkhouse by John Welsh results in a free kick. Neil Austin restarts play with the free kick.

40:09

Corner taken by John Welsh from the right by-line to the near post, clearance by Sam Collins.

39:47

Adam McGurk has an effort at goal. Blocked by Neil Austin.

38:28

James Poole crosses the ball, clearance made by David Raven.

37:01

John Welsh concedes a free kick for a foul on James Poole. Neil Austin restarts play with the free kick.

36:17

Sam Collins concedes a free kick for a foul on Jose Baxter. Direct free kick taken by David Buchanan.

30:37

Shot from just outside the box by James Poole goes over the bar.

29:38

The ball is swung over by Stephen Wright.

28:17

Neil Austin produces a right-footed shot from just outside the penalty box that misses to the left of the goal.

26:22

Handball by Andy Monkhouse. Free kick taken by Owain Fon Williams.

25:35

John Welsh concedes a free kick for a foul on Nathan Luscombe. Evan Horwood restarts play with the free kick.

24:46

Shot by Adam McGurk. Save made by Scott Flinders.

20:20

Inswinging corner taken by Evan Horwood, Ian Goodison manages to make a clearance.

19:40

Free kick taken by Evan Horwood, Sam Collins sends in a cross, clearance by Ian Goodison.

19:40 Booking

Booking Booking for David Buchanan for unsporting behaviour.

19:22

David Buchanan concedes a free kick for a foul on Andy Monkhouse.

14:40

Gary Liddle challenges Ian Goodison unfairly and gives away a free kick. Owain Fon Williams restarts play with the free kick.

11:32

Lucas Akins produces a cross, Robbie Weir produces a left-footed shot from deep inside the area which goes wide of the left-hand post.

10:52

The offside flag is raised against Andy Monkhouse. Owain Fon Williams takes the indirect free kick.

10:21

Corner taken by Evan Horwood, clearance by David Raven.

10:03

Andy Monkhouse takes the chance to get an effort at goal. John Welsh gets a block in.

6:15

Andy Monkhouse sends in a cross, Effort from the edge of the box by James Poole goes wide of the left-hand post.

6:06

The ball is delivered by Adam McGurk, save made by Scott Flinders.

5:35

The ball is swung over by Stephen Wright, save made by Owain Fon Williams.

5:19

Evan Horwood crosses the ball.

4:05

Shot by Adam McGurk from 18 yards. Save by Scott Flinders.

3:09

Jose Baxter gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Sam Collins. Free kick taken by Scott Flinders.

1:34

Corner taken right-footed by Evan Horwood, save made by Owain Fon Williams.

1:12

James Poole produces a cross, Effort on goal by Nathan Luscombe from 12 yards. Owain Fon Williams makes a save.

0:00

The match gets underway.

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