Hartlepool United are in the process of rewriting the club record books - and the players today have the chance to add more.

Victory over Grimsby Town at Victoria Park would make it seven Football League victories in succession, equalling the feat achieved in 2002, 1968 and 1957.

And they can also extend their run of games without conceding a goal to six.

That would surpass the club record of five, which has happened in 1973, 1967 and 1954 and was equalled on Saturday at Bury.

It's 502 minutes since Dimi Konstantopoulos and his back four were breached, 38 minutes into the win at Accrington Stanley on November 18.

Victory No 6 came thanks to Anthony Sweeney's goal just eight seconds into the second half, which lifted Pools into sixth spot.

It is the first time a Pools side has won five games on the trot without conceding a goal.

The goal was the fastest scored at the start of a second-half in the Football League, beating Jermaine McSporran's nine-second effort for Wycombe in 2002.

Saturday's win equalled the number of victories Pools achieved in the whole of last season - 11.

"First-half we looked comfortable, second half we scored and then knew it was going to be hard,'' said Wilson. "But credit to everyone for what they have done.

"We scored early on and it's nice to get goals from things you work on. They pushed more men forward and we had a few chances on the counter, which we didn't capitalise on.

"We played most of the game in their half. Sometimes we were a little bit too over-ambitious and they pressed us and put us under pressure in the last 15 minutes, but we stood firm.

"But we won't get carried away and know we have a tough home game to come. We showed our intentions, we didn't want to sit back and I felt we could win the game.

"The defence showed what they are made of and you have to dig in to get a result. We beat Grimsby (4-1) earlier in the season, but that counts for nothing - you have to work to earn a victory and on Saturday we did it for 90 minutes.

"It will be exactly the same again. We know we have a very strenuous time and it's going to be difficult. We won't have many changes - when you are winning there's no injuries or knocks which will keep anyone out, they all want to play all the time.''

Wilson was more than happy to give his players a day of rest yesterday, after a training session on Christmas Eve.

"I think it's important to give them the day off - it's a family day,'' he said. "It's a physiological thing at times and they deserve a bit of time with their families.

"Hopefully that time will be spent in the right way, preparing for the next day, but I have no qualms about that at all.

"But if they go and get blinding drunk and still come and perform on Boxing Day, I'll settle for that as well. But I trust them implicitly and know what they will do.''

Gary Liddle struck a shot against the bar after just three minutes at Gigg Lane, but neither side could create clear first-half openings.

Bury came out minutes before Pools for the start of the second half - and Pools caught them cold. Willie Boland passed to Eifion Williams, who saw Sweeney charging ahead.

When the ball was played into his feet he went round full back Tom Kennedy and clipped his shot past Alan Fettis.

Pools then created three good chances within minutes, but failed to take any and were reliant on keeper Konstantopoulos to keep their lead intact.

His best stop came from his own skipper, Micky Barron back heading a free-kick at goal and the big Greek went full-stretch to save.

"I saved it with my little finger - that was the only touch I got to it,'' he confessed. "It was a good header by Micky, wasn't it? It's our target to keep a clean sheet in every game. It's good that we are managing to do it on this run.

"The defenders are stopping most things coming through and, as a goalkeeper, that makes my job easier too. It's a team effort.

"The big thing now is that we are not getting punished for little mistakes, which was happening earlier in the season.''