Hartlepool moved into a play-off position with a tremendous performance against League leaders Chesterfield at Saltergate last night.

After seven consecutive victories, Pool went into the game full of confidence and this was much in evidence in the first half as they matched a Chesterfield side for both passion and ability.

Their hopes of creating a club-record eight wins on the trot failed to materialise, but no-one in the Pool camp was complaining and the players celebrated with their large band of travelling fans - estimated to be 700 - on the final whistle.

"I was delighted with the performance,'' beamed Pool boss Chris Turner. "A lot of teams have come here to try and stop Chesterfield from scoring and put ten men behind the ball, but we wanted to win the game.

"The two strikers worked as hard as the defenders. We are the first team to stop them from scoring at home this season - which is a reflection of the level of performance. In the second half we had chances to win the game and we nearly did.''

Despite Pool's confidence it was the home side who created the early chances.

Ex-Chester City striker Luke Beckett shot over the bar from 20 yards in the fifth minute and two minutes later sent a thumping header just over the top from eight yards out.

The Pool defence was coping reasonably comfortably with the pressure, but in the 17th minute they had the woodwork to thank. A left-wing cross was glanced goalwards by Marcus Ebdon and the ball hit the angle of the post and bar with Pool's keeper Anthony Williams beaten.

But this stirred the visitors into action and they came close to breaking the deadlock five minutes later when a Paul Stephenson corner was met at the near post by Mark Tinkler and although his flick beat keeper Pollitt, full-back Lee Richardson was on hand to clear the ball off the line.

Towards half-time Tinkler went even closer when he actually had the ball into the net from a right-wing cross, but the effort was ruled out by the referee.

Pool took the game to the home side at the start of the second half and only good defending by the impressive Steve Blatherwick stopped the rampaging Ian Clark in the 54th minutes.

With the game settling down into an intriguing battle it was Pool who went close again on the hour.

Kevin Henderson found fellow striker Craig Midgley on the edge of the area and Midgley's delightful chip beat Pollitt, but unfortunately, just went over the bar.

It was Midgley at the heart of things again in the 68th minute, setting up Tinkler, but his shot, although on target, was well saved by Pollitt.

Towards the end the Pool defenders increased their stranglehold on the home forwards and 13 minutes from time it was the alert Midgley who very nearly won the game.

A quick throw in by Clark on the left flank found the diminutive striker and he created enough space to send in a brilliant shot which was only kept out by a marvellous save by Pollitt, who dived full length to his left-hand side to palm the ball away.

Tinkler, who suffered a knock earlier in the game, was replaced by Lee Fitzpatrick minutes from time with a hamstring twinge, but it had little adverse affect on the Pool pattern and they comfortably held on for a well deserved point.

They can now go into Saturday's home game with Carlisle looking to increase their stranglehold on the play-off place because the standard of football they played against the long-time leaders of the Third Division Chesterfield, showed they have the talent to stay at the top as well as the self-belief.

l Hull are 459 minutes without a goal after a 1-0 defeat at home to Blackpool who blanked the opposition for the fourth time in the last five games. John Murphy stuck out a foot to score the 72nd minute goal which lifts the Seasiders to ninth in the table.

Plymouth substitute Ian Stonebridge found the net in the dying minutes to give the Pilgrims a 1-0 victory and leave Lincoln still looking for their first away win.

lPaul McCarthy, who earned the replay with a 73rd-minute equaliser against First Division Grimsby, was again the hero when he put Wycombe Wanderers on the road to a first appearance in the fourth round of the FA Cup.

The Irishman got his head to a Martin Lee free-kick in the 31st minute and the Mariners fell further behind when Michael Simpson took advantage of a poor headed clearance to strike a half volley from just outside the penalty area.

Grimsby pulled one back a minute before the break when Michael Jeffrey fired home. But there was no holding the Chairboys who struck again when Canadian defender Mark Rogers headed in a corner to to make it 3-1 and give the Second Division side a home tie with Wolves.

First Division Crewe took the lead when Shaun Smith fired home from the penalty spot after Rodney Jack was bundled over but Third Division Cardiff hit back when Rob Earnshaw deflected a fierce 20-yard drive by skipper Andy Legg, his sixth goal in the cup this season.

A pitch invasion by the Bluebirds' fans held the game up and as the pitch became frost-bound players of both sides found it hard to keep their feet.

Mark Rivers made it 2-1when he moved on to a through ball and slipped it past the goalkeeper