Oldham Athletic 0 Hartlepool 1

AT the 12th time of asking and after 1,070 minutes of action, Hartlepool last night ended their awful run of results away from home with a deserved win.

Michael Mackay's deft finish was enough to see off Oldham and secured Pools' second double of the season.

With Saturday's opponents Gillingham losing at Brighton, the victory put Pools a healthy seven points in front of the bottom four.

While things looked nervy after Saturday's disappointing result and performance at Bournemouth, this display could turn theseason around. Pools will be confident of building on their best away performance since the opening months of the campaign.

While Mackay's sublime goal won it, the platform for victory came from the back with Sam Collins excelling on his return.

How Pools have missed him during his four-game suspension.

The centre-half stuck to the rules of basic and effective defending, repelling Oldham attacks time and again.

And his return had a positive effect on everyone around him.

As promised, manager Danny Wilson made changes and two of those recalled combined after just two minutes to create a chance which should have brought a quick lead.

Mackay took possession wide on the right and his low ball into the area was met by Andy Monkhouse, only for the frame of Mark Crossley to block.

Pools certainly didn't start like a team suffering in away games, as they piled the pressure on, penning Oldham back.

But they had a warning when, from the first Oldham ball played into the area, Jordan Robinson shot into the side netting after a moment of hesitation between goalkeeper and defence.

Antony Sweeney had a good chance when he ghosted in at the far post, only to bump into Mackay and lose momentum as he looked to plant a header at goal.

Pools lost Richard Barker with a medial knee ligament injury on 20 minutes, replaced by Joel Porter.

Oldham's liking for defending deep was giving Pools plenty of chance to press - as did their penchant for giving away possession - and Mackay was particularly lively chasing and working the channels. Pools needed all his energy and enthusiasm in Barker's absence.

A shot down the throat of Arran Lee-Barrett aside, Pools were generally untroubled during the opening 45 minutes.

Pools might have been caught out on the hour mark when, after Collins halted Leon Constantine's progress, everyone stopped awaiting a free-kick. It didn't arrive and Pools failed to clear before Constantine saw his low angled shot saved by Lee-Barrett.

Pools were denied the lead with a strong, diving save by Crossley. Humphreys' cross was met firmly by Monkhouse and his header was goalbound before the keeper's intervention.

Porter and Liddle then linked up with the midfielder volleying over from 20 yards after a swift break.

Pools took a deserved lead on 72 minutes. Played in on the left side, Mackay waited for Crossley to make his move and when the keeper strolled off his line the striker, who was playing in the Northern League last season, nonchalantly chipped the ball high over the veteran keeper.

It was his third goal of the season.

After his first strike earned a point against Carlisle and his second ended in defeat at Yeovil, this one proved far more useful.

Lee-Barrett, solid and firm throughout, made a strong and vital low save to deny Gary Mc- Donald as full-time approached.

There was no way Pools were going to give this one up.