MATCH-WINNER Mark Tinkler has forgotten what it's like to lose a game since he moved to Hartlepool United.

Pool have gone from strength to strength in recent weeks - and it's no coincidence that the outstanding run of form that has taken Chris Turner's side from play-off hopefuls to promotion candidates has arrived with Tinkler.

Turner has hailed his midfield triumverate of Tinkler, Paul Stephenson and Tommy Miller as the best unit in the division and the way they are going it's hard to disagree.

Tinkler's second-half header at Macclesfield on Saturday made it an almost unheard of tally of 30 points from a possible 36 and, as the majority of other results went in Pool's favour, increased Victoria Park hopes of promotion.

Now with back to back home games this week with Torquay tomorrow and Mansfield on Saturday, Pool have a cracking chance to keep up the pressure on Brighton and Cardiff, the two teams immediately above them.

When Tinkler arrived on a free transfer from Southend last November, Pool were in 16th place. Since then, the former Leeds and York enforcer has only twice tasted defeat in Division Three.

"Everything has been going great since I came here,'' he said. "When I first came we lost a couple of games, but since then we been on a great run of form.

"We are working well together in midfield - Tommy is a great player and Stevo gets around a lot as well. I think we link up well and we all have different qualities.

"There is a real confidence among the lads and we are going into games thinking we can do it. If we keep this run going we really believe we can get in there and push for the top three.

"We've got two home gmes this week, but it won't be easy. Torquay are fighting for their lives at the bottom - every game in this division is different in its own way.

"But if we play like we can and like we have been doing then we should be confident. Our home form is great, but we aren't doing too bad away either.''

Tinkler has never been a regular on the scoresheet, drawing a blank in 25 attempts at Leeds, getting eight for York in 90 games and only bagging one in a Southend shirt.

At Pool, however, he now has three in 17 outings, none more cucial than Saturday's. Stephenson and Shilton worked a short corner on the left and from the former's cross, Tinkler got the touch to make it nine points in a week after wins over Blackpool and Carlisle.

Turner, however, believes Tinkler is playing within himself at the moment. With the threat of a two-game suspension hanging over him, Tinkler has to get through the next two games without seeing yellow to avoid a spell on the sidelines.

The Pool boss said: "He's chipping in with goals for us which is great, but he's one booking away from a two-game ban and I think it's on his mind all the time. There's just that little bit of doubt in there, but he's done brilliantly for us."

Saturday's first half saw no-one taking the game by the scruff of the neck to dictate proceedings.

Pool, Turner believed, were playing within themselves - and he was right because when they did step out of first gear they always looked the better team.

Macclesfield had a couple of half-chances, one created after Chris Westwood's clearance hit Micky Barron, and at the other end Craig Midgley's header was stopped by Lee Martin on the line.

But after the interval it was a different story and Macclesfield suffered like Pool have on too many occasions over the years - quite simply beaten by a stronger team.

First Kevin Henderson headed over from a Stephenson cross and then the midfielder picked up the ball 25 yards out and after advancing, unleashed a drive that stung Martin's palms.

A minute before Tinkler's header, Neil Aspin replaced Darren Knowles on the right side and after a accomplished display, maybe he is Turner's replacement for the sidelined Paul Arnison.

Aspin might have moved into the middle in recent years, but didn't do too badly as a right back during ten years at Port Vale. He nearly got on the scoresheet when he met another Stephenson corner, but was denied by Martin.

But Pool were enjoying a solid away performance as they moved inexorably towards another three-point haul.