HARTLEPOOL UNITED eased to a 2-1 win over York City – all but relegating the visitors in the process.

Goals from Nathan Thomas and Michael Woods earned Pools a fourth successive home win, the first time they’ve achieved such a feat since the 2006-7 season.

For the Minstermen, defeat number 24 of the season leaves them 11 points short of safety – with Newport the only team they can catch with four games to go.

National League football beckons, along with Dagenham who were relegated today.

Pools took the lead when Nathan Thomas turned from close range as he met a Lewis Hawkins corner.

The Minstermen were soon down to ten men as lumbering centre-half Dave Winfield was booked for the second time for a needless foul on Thomas.

He was also dismissed when Pools lost at Bootham Crescent last season. 

But the hard-working visitors levelled as a deep corner was met by left-back Kyle Cameron for an unlikely leveller.

Pools had to be patient in the second half against ten men, who chased and closed down but lacked confidence.

The impressive Woods twice stretched former Pools keeper Scott Flinders and he also denied Luke James.

The inevitable winner arrived as Carl Magnay crossed and Woods headed in.

Pools keeper Trevor Carson signed a new, long-term contract before the game and teenage prospect Jack Blackford, who made his debut this afternoon as a late substitute, has tonight signed a first professional deal. 

Pools boss Craig Hignett said: "I felt we started well, played all the stuff and went in front but it changed with they had a man send off.

“Did we think it was going to be easy and coast through it? You can’t do that, it’s harder sometimes.

“They had a go and with nothing to lose levelled and I was disappointed with it because it was there for us to take by the scruff of the neck.

“We were a lot more patient with the ball, moved it about left to right and switch it and deservedly win the game.

“They made it hard and Scott Flinders made good saves, we carved out some good chances.’’

He added: “There was some good bits, some slack and some things I won’t tolerate, but we won and we move on.

“Let’s go and do a Morecambe last week and step up and go on again and we didn’t for some reason. We coasted and I want to push and not be happy winning 2-1 against ten men and I want to score three, four, five.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-3): Carson; Magnay, Bates, Jackson, Carroll (Richards 76); Hawkins, Featherstone, Woods; Thomas (Oates 69), James, Duckworth. Subs: Bartlett (gk), Walker, Bingham, Blackford, Laurent.

YORK CITY (4-3-3): Flinders; Hendrie, Winfield, Bennett, Cameron; Dixon, Penn, Summerfield; Alessandra, Oliver (Ilesanmi 37), Fewster (Riordan 82). Subs: Carson, Thompson, Ingham (gk), McEvoy, Gilbraith.