MATTHEW Bates watched his Hartlepool United players extend their unbeaten run to seven matches and then praised their patience against Solihull Moors.

With the game goalless, Liam Noble struck a sweet 25-yard strike to separate the two teams at Damson Park and lift Pools up to fourth in the National League.

It was Noble’s fifth goal of the season and made the most of Solihull being reduced to ten men, with striker Adi Yussuf’s early injury followed by captain Kyle Storer seeing red card for a strong challenge on fellow midfielder Nicky Featherstone inside 20 minutes.

Hartlepool grew into the game as the half progressed, with Noble firing over and striker Niko Muir seeing a shot on the turn saved by the goalkeeper.

A lively start to the second half saw Muir sent clear only to fire at Ryan Boot, Hartlepool keeper Scott Loach denied Danny Wright, and Boot kept out a Luke James strike with Mark Kitching sending the follow-up into the side-netting.

Muir spurned another clear-cut opening, but Hartlepool did break the deadlock when Noble curled home from 25 yards. Jamey Osbourne shot wide from the edge of the box for Solihull before Ryan Donaldson's drive came back off the crossbar for the visitors.

"We are pleased with the result. They were unbeaten at home and we were unbeaten away," Bates told the Hartlepool website.

"We knew it was going to be a tough game. Would we have been happy with a point before the game? Yes, we would. Were we happy with a point after the sending off? We wanted the three points.

"I think on the balance of play it could have been a win by more goals but we did not quite get the rub of the green in the box. I am pleased with the lads. They managed the game really well, kept the ball and were patient."

Ideally Bates would have liked to have seen Hartlepool score more, although he is happy that they kept digging in to deliver the points.

"We kind of went into a lull when they got a man sent off. We were keeping the ball for the sake of it," Bates said. "They sat in and made it hard, had a good shape.

"But the gaps opened up when we started to move the ball quickly to Ryan Donaldson and to Kitch (Mark Kitching).

"It is not easy against ten men but what impressed me was the way we went about the game after scoring. We made them chase for the ball and dictated the play. We could have won the game 3-0 but we will take 1-0 any day."

HARTLEPOOL: Loach, Kioso, Magnay, Anderson, Donaldson, Featherstone, Noble, McLaughlin (Woods 71), Kitching, Muir, James. Subs (not used): Richardson, Hawkes, Newton, Dinanga.