"WE'D have taken two, never mind four."

Hartlepool United boss Craig Harrison admits his side have outstripped expectations in what is likely to be Pools toughest week of the campaign.

Harrison's men racked up their fourth win in five in the National League on Saturday at Leyton Orient, going full circle from their struggles at the start of the campaign which saw them return winless from their opening six fifth-tier encounters.

Jonathan Franks and Rhys Oates goals a minute either side of half-time ensured Pools capped a week where they've played then top-of-the-table Dagenham, arguably the best defence in the division Wrexham and Football League stalwarts Orient and come away with a very respectable seven points.

On Monday Harrison admits he'd have taken two draws from the trips to Wales and London. Instead his side managed to return four.

"We'd have taken two never mind four. Of course we would have," he said when asked about his side's recent results.

"We are in good form but everyone knows that it was going to be a tough week for us.

"Top of the league Dagenham, defensively solid Wrexham and then a top club in Orient. We have produced three very good results this week.

"The performances and the points tally makes us more than happy."

Making just the one change from the Racecourse Ground trip, with Devante Rodney dropping out in place of Ryan Donaldson, Pools were second best for much of the opening 45.

First a warning shot was fired - with Michael Ledger's error being pounced on by the Orient frontline and Macauley Bonne going within inches of opening the scoring.

That shot across the bows was not heeded by the visitors, though, and few Poolies could have any complaints when their side fell behind in the 19th minute.

Pools were cut open far too easily and David Mooney was allowed a free run at goal. When his powerful shot was saved Jobi McAnuff was on hand to guide home from outside the area at the first time of asking.

It could and should have been 2-0, this time Bonne's effort was probably struck too well from close range and instead of nestling in the back of Scott Loach's net, it cannoned back off the foot of the post.

Brimming with confidence Orient continued to dominate the affair, that was until seconds before the half-time whistle, when, out of nowhere, Pools conjured an equaliser.

A centre from wide was cleared by the Orient defence, but recycled by Keith Watson and Franks, who almost got on the end of the first ball, worked himself free in the area to stroke home from close range for 1-1.

It was harsh on the hosts but that mattered little to Harrison & Co.

As so often happens in football the momentum swung full circle just after the break when a Nicky Deverdics cross was headed home, via the post, by the impressive Oates.

Cue wild celebrations among the 200 or so Pools fans at the far end.

And from the bench went the message that 'what we have, we hold'. That didn't get as far as Donaldson on the other flank, though, and he almost made it 3-1 but his effort also hit the bottom of the Orient post.

In a game which ebbed and flowed Steve Davis' men fought back after the hour mark - Loach saving well low down from Bonne, the keeper then tipped over from McAnuff as well as having to pick the ball out of his net from Josh Koroma, only for referee Carl Brook to rule out when he spotted the flag of his assistant.

Pools retreated into their shell, becoming more compact and hard to beat. It was a tactic that worked to a T, with the hosts struggling to open up any kind of opportunity until the 93rd minute when a searching cross found top-scorer Bonne at the back post. But when he looked set to net, he headed wide of Loach's post.

Harrison, who side sit 15th but just five off the top, was delighted with his players' show.

"Things didn't go the way we wanted in the game," he said.

"The gameplan changed. They played differently to how we thought so we had to adapt.

"But I can't remember them having a chance where you say they have got to score.

"We have defended really resolutely which is one of the big positives from the game.

"Even when we were under the cosh I thought we defended our goal and box well."

Harrison continued: "To go 1-0 and be under the cosh and come away with the win was very pleasing.

"We dusted ourselves down after they had one or two chances to score and got the goal before half-time. What a time to score.

"It gave us the opportunity to change things at half-time, tweak things, and then we came out and did the job.

"I would rather we scored in the 91st minute to win the game but the 46th will do. I am just happy we were able to get the goals and see it through.

"The ball for the second goal from Devs was absolutely outstanding."