Delighted Rhys Oates back among the goals for Mansfield Town

Oates, now back in the side after three months out injured, is finally starting to regain his match sharpness and his 47th minute equaliser put Stags back into the game before Oli Hawkins bagged the winner on the hour.

“It's good to get a goal and it's my first one since my injury. To take the three points as well tops off a good night,” he said.

“Laps (George Lapslie) got on the half turn and saw I had pulled off, so he slid it in to me. I had a good first touch and just thought I would hit it as hard as I could and there was a good chance it would go in.

“Our fans were class all night. You could hear them from minute one. They were amazing, so to score in front of them was good.”

He added: “We knew it was going to be a tough game from the start. Hartlepool are where they are in the table, but they will battle until the end.

“We knew we could create more chance if we just upped our game in the second half and I think we did that.

“Hawks showed how many different positions he can play going up there from centre half straight up front for the second half. His got in front of his man and I think he wanted Laps to put it in the air for him to head it, but it was on the floor and it was a great finish.

“All of us – the starting XI and the subs – then dug in until the end.

“When you see the seven added minutes go up you know it's going to be a battle and they're going to lump it in the box with their centre halves going up there. But we saw it out and it is a massive three points.”