WITH Roy O’Donovan’s hattrick stealing the limelight on Saturday, Chris Turner had words of praise for Adam Boyd.

The striker set up two of O’Donovan’s three goals as the pair quickly hit it off in their third game together.

It was Hartlepool United’s second home win on the trot and Turner admitted his loan recruit from Sunderland made the difference thanks to his link-up with Boyd.

“Roy’s finishing was very good and we have lacked that pace up front for a number of seasons,’’ he said.

“He took his chances well, and for the second he had so much time and space it sometimes makes it more difficult, but he didn’t let it affect him.

“Roy and Adam (Boyd) have struck up a partnership and Adam knows exactly what is needed from him – if he doesn’t do it I will take him off.

“I didn’t take him off because he wasn’t playing well, but to give others a run out.

Adam was excellent and he and Roy can hopefully continue to form a partnership.’’ Turner added: “Roy is at a Premier League club and he realises that whatever he is being paid at Sunderland won’t be the case at other clubs.

“I don’t know what he is being paid at Sunderland, I really don’t know, but we are pleased to have him here.’’ Pools are now six points ahead of the drop zone after the 3-0 win – the same result Turner had over the same opponents in his first game back in charge of the side in December 2008.

“I’ve been saying it all season that we are in an excellent division and there’s six or seven very strong sides, with the rest much of a muchness,’’ he said.

“We’ve played Carlisle and Southend in our last two home games, won them both and scored seven goals, I think that tells you everything of the gulf within the division.

“We knew how tough the fixture list was for us recently, now we have it out of the way.

“I spoke to Steve (Tilson, Southend boss) before the game and he said that before the season started you could put your money on the current six or seven teams at the top being there.

“All managers say the same and when we play against Carlisle and Southend, and Yeovil next week hopefully, we can show we deserve to be in this division.’’