DALE BLITZ TOO HOT FOR POOLS

A BLISTERING first half performance ended Rochdale's six-match wait for a win despite having to withstand a fightback from Hartlepool United.

- Paul Fraser

Dale, who had not kept a clean sheet in ten games either, ran the first half and completely deserved to be three up after goals from Cian Hayes, Jimmy Keohane and Ryan East.

But Hartlepool pulled one back in the sixth minute of added time before the break when Nicky Featherstone curled in to make things a little more interesting at the start of the second half.

Y Mani Dieseruvwe's header seven minutes before full-time raised hope for Pools, but the damage had already been done.

Pools boss John Askey, whose side have only won one in seven matches, said: "It's massive disappointment again. The first half was as bad as you could possibly see.