Goals:

0-1: Stead (4, took possession 25 yards out, moved forward and, wind assisted, curled a shot over Carson)

0-2: Noble (18, low finish into the corner after a cross found him from the right side)

1-2: Gray (62, angled volley in off the far post after being picked out by a long Thomas ball)

2-2: Paynter (66, knocked in from close range after being teed up by Thomas)

2-3: Stead (80, nodded in a corner amid a packed penalty area)

Bookings: None

Referee: Dave Webb (Accrington): Routine game, sensible officiating in the middle 7

Attendance: 3,433

Entertainment: 3/5

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-1-2-3):

5 Carson: Tricky conditions and could do nothing about the first two goals, but disappointing to be beaten for the third;

3 Richards: Regularly squandered possession, and did it too easily. Replaced at half-time, but anyone could have gone off

6 Bates: Slack passing first-half especially, but showed his experience later on and a superb second-half tackle in the area saved Pools

6 Jackson: Had his hands full trying to deal with the two strong Notts attackers all night

5 Jones: Again offered some stability to the position, but the manager will want him to attack more;

4 Magnay: Way off the pace and looked uneasy first-half on the ball, but improved when moved to right-back at the break;

6 Gray: Lovely finish to get Pools back into it and always looks capable of opening up defences at will

5 Woods: Another to be below-par first-half and gave the ball away too much. Better after the break if still slack in passing at times;

7 THOMAS: Brought Pools back into life in the second-half with two assists and a regular source of problems on the left flank

5 Paynter: Three goals in three game for the captain, but will have nightmares about his failure to convert on the line at 2-2

5 James: When Pools were on top as they got back level he was at the fore of things, and went close to scoring.

Subs:

Hawkins (for Richards 46): Moved into a central role and brought some mobility and fluency to the team 6

Featherstone (for Woods 80)

Fenwick (for Magnay 87)

(not used): Bartlett (gk), Carroll, Harrison, Hawkins.

NOTTS COUNTY (4-3-2-1): Carroll 7; Adams 7, MacKenzie 7, Hollis 6, Hewitt 5; Noble 6 (Atkinson 87), Smith 7, Banton 4 (Campbell 76), Thompson 6, STEAD 8; McLeod 4 (Murray 83). Subs (not used): Loach, Sharpe, Burke, Audel.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Jon Stead – his two goals proved the difference and he caused a lot of problems