HARTLEPOOL UNITED have completed the Great Escape after a win over Exeter secured their Football League future.

Defeats for Tranmere and Cheltenham and Pools win means the relegation issue is sorted with a game to space.

Victoria Park erupted when news came through of other results, which mean Pools stay out of the bottom two, after being entrenched on the floor for two third of the season.

Ronnie Moore demanded a non-stop performance – a typical Ronnie Moore-type team display he asked for – and Pools gave a superb, hard-working show from start to finish, epitomised by their two strikers.

Jordan Hugill and Scott Fenwick tormented the visiting back line, and both were on the scoresheet.

Fenwick gave Pools the lead, bursting into the area to clip his finish across keeper James Hamon.

Victoria Park erupted, but the lead only lasted two minutes. Pools needlessly conceded a corner and Graham Cummins headed in from a second flag kick after Scott Flinders saved from the same player.

But Pools never stopped working, and pressing and Aaron Tshibola won possession, broke forward and fed Hugill, who cracked home on 45 minutes.

The second half was a comfortable one for Pools – they were rarely under pressure, with goalkeeper Scott Flinders rarely called into action.

While there was a nervous five-minute wait at the end for Cheltenham and Tranmere to finish, Pools did their job.

And next season they will still be a Football League club.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Flinders; Austin, Harrison, Bates, D Jones; Franks, Tshibola, Featherstone, Compton; Hugill (Harewood 68), Fenwick. Subs: Maxted (gk), Walker, Miller, Nelson-Addy, Duckworth, J Jones.

EXETER CITY: Hamon; Davies, Bennett, Moore-Taylor, McAllister; Keohane (Nichols 68), Harley, Oakley, Sercombe; Nicholls (Wheeler 46), Cummins (Morrison 64). Subs: Butterfield, Tillson, Jay, Pym (gk).