A TENTH wedding anniversary is known, in traditional terms, as the tin landmark. Hartlepool United's decade under the control of Increased Oil Recovery was marked with a golden performance.

On September 22, 1997 IOR took control of the club, Pools were 14th in Division Four.

On September 22, 2007, Pools were outstanding against the previously unbeaten League One leaders and smashed four goals past them to stay third in the table.

They have come a long way since Denny Ingram and Jon Cullen saw off Shrewsbury to kick-off the IOR revolution five days after the buy-out.

Pools played on Saturday a passing game as good and as fluent as the one seen at Leeds and Luton this season. The difference was that on this occasion they scored the goals their display deserved, after drawing bewildering blanks in their two away defeats.

Ian Moore, Andy Monkhouse and James Brown were on target, with the former netting twice to back the faith shown by manager Danny Wilson after an admittedly indifferent display the previous week.

Wilson hailed it as Pools' most complete performance this season and there can be few arguments.

At Leeds, Pools dominated but still wouldn't have scored if the game lasted 90 days never mind 90 minutes.

At the Matchroom Stadium, they got four and could comfortably have doubled their tally.

"I think it's the best performance of the season for us because we kept the ball so well and got the goals so well to go with it,'' admitted Wilson.

"They were the better side in all departments - we couldn't handle them,'' confessed home boss Martin Ling.

Wilson added: "The good thing about it as an away team was that there is no real pressure to keep the ball for long periods - but we did that and did it very well.

"People expect the away team to sit back and play on the counter attack, but that wasn't our game. We were attacking all the time and pressing forward. I don't think they expected us to play as we did - we just took the ball off them and kept them away from it.

"Their fans won't know much about us and they won't have expected it. We have dominated and we've really set the standards again haven't we? We've got two home games to come now and let's hope we can go out and enjoy them.

"The only disappointment for me at half-time was that we were only one goal in front. With the play we had we should have scored more, but saying that we were confident we could go out and carry on playing the same way.

"And in the second half we came out and took the game to them again.''

It was supposed to be all about Adam Boyd and the Orient striker facing his old club on the back of five goals this season.

In the end, the only thing Boyd got from the game was a standing ovation from the Pools fans as he warmed up before the game and a tough Saturday night at home with 14 family and friends from the North-East staying over.

"We know he's a good player, but we kept him quiet,'' said a more than satisfied Wilson.

"He never got anything and Godwin Antwi and Michael Nelson have set the standards for their games on this performance. That's what we want from our central defenders and they were outstanding.

"Micky hadn't trained much during the week but was fantastic out there. On he's day there's no better defender in this division, that's for sure. We looked after him all week and it's worked well for him.

"He's was outstanding and I have to say the whole team was, from back to front.''

With the influential Willie Boland also making a surprise return after hamstring trouble, Pools took the game to Orient from the off, their passing and movement too much for the opposition.

Every time a blue and white shirt was in possession there was a couple of simple options available. Everyone wanted the ball, everyone wanted to find a teammate to give it to.

With Boland and Gary Liddle running the midfield, the latter at his showboating and marauding best, Pools took the lead through Moore.

Played on on goal by Boland's pass, his first effort was stopped, but he wasn't going to miss second time.

James Brown and Ritchie Humphreys had openings to score, as did Andy Monkhouse. Humphreys burst ahead from left back, played wall passes with both Brown and Moore but waited a second too long before shooting which allowed a defender to cover.

Right on half-time Boyd made his first impact and Pools could somehow have been pegged level. He crossed for strike partner Wayne Gray to fluff his header wide from six yards.

Whenever Boyd did get the ball, it was always with his back to goal or on the touchline. Pools didn't allow him in the areas he prefers.

Pools were soon two-up after the break. Moore's tenacity was rewarded when he chased across field to win a tackle, the ball fell for Brown and his shot bounced over the home keeper.

A JJ Melligan shot from 25 yards which went through the leap of keeper Jan Budtz saw the gap reduced, but Monkhouse did make it three.

After swapping passes with Joel Porter he cut inside, picked his spot, and cracked in from 20 yards.

Orient still got another back, a Charlie Daniels shot at the far post making it 3-2.

But Moore's second, taking a neat pass from Liddle in his stride and finishing confidently, made it four this season and 96 career goals for the striker.

In injury-time keeper Stuart Nelson just about kept a Michael Mackay chance off the line.

Pools gave a platinum display, a silver-plated season may be yet to come.