REACHING double figures in a Hartlepool United shirt has proved a tough task of late.

No-one has gone close to touching Joel Porter’s scoring haul of 23 in 2008-9, with the 16 nabbed by Luke James in 2013/14 the closest.

In netting the opening goal in Easter Monday’s 2-0 win at Leyton Orient, Billy Paynter moved to 13 for the season.

It was his sixth in 12 games since recovering from an Achilles problem and, more importantly helped Pools to put 14 points between themselves and the relegation zone.

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Paynter also got 13 in the 2012/13 season for Doncaster, but has some way to top the 29 he nabbed in a Swindon shirt in 2009/10.

Playing a central role as a single forward, flanked by two wide-man has left Paynter holding the middle position alone at times.

He said: “I’ve got 13 goals and it’s good going. I’m pleased with that and I’ve missed a couple of months through injury as well. I can only thank the team for giving me the chances.

“When the ball comes to me it’s my job to make it stick and at times I want more support in and around me, but you have to take the knocks and work hard for the team.

“The main thing is that we are picking up points – my job is to score goals and for others to take the knocks!’’

Paynter had one disallowed for offside at the Matchroom Stadium on Monday - "I thought it was tight, I thought strikers are supposed to get the benefit of the doubt these days?’’ – before he swept in the opener early in the second-half.

"It was a great ball in. Jake Carroll has that quality to get forward and do that, my question to him is why hasn't he been doing it before?

"It was an easy task for me to put it in.

"I had a little look at the lino before I started celebrating.

"It was a well-worked goal, I had the easiest job in the world to stick that in. It was the perfect ball in, my eyes lit up, any sort of contact and it was a goal.

"It was what we deserved, it was a good away performance.

"They like to play through the pitch but we forced them to go long.

"We kept composed, moved the ball around well and could have had a third at the end but we maybe had the wrong man on the end of it… I let Woodsy know about don’t worry!’’

Payner, flanked by Nathan Thomas on one side and James on the other, saw the former nab the second with a superbly-taken individual effort.

It was his second goal in a Pools shirt since his January move from Saturday’s opponents Mansfield.

James, on the other hand, has yet to get a goal since returning to the club on loan from Peterborough.

His performances and workrate have been key to Pools’ success and Paynter and Co are willing the workhorse to open his account.

"The gaffer switched things around, he said second-half, a bit like Barnet, Nathan could score coming off that wing and he did,’’ revealed Paynter.

"Luke has probably played out of position but he's never sulked, he's a true professional, gets on with his work and has a great attitude – he’s really putting it in.

"He doesn't moan or groan, he gets on with his work. I am crying out for him to get that goal because he is really putting it in.

"It's definitely coming.

"He was unfortunate on Friday, hitting the post.’’

Pools reserves yesterday beat Grimsby 2-1, with two goals from Connor Smith. Right-back Michael Duckworth played 60 minutes on his return from a hernia operation.