Pools safe despite thrashing

Hartlepool managed to avoid being relegated despite being thumped by Bristol Rovers.

Bristol Rovers romp to easy win

Rickie Lambert made it 29 goals for the season with one of the strikes in Bristol Rovers' 4-1 hammering of Hartlepool. Pools went into the game still not mathematically safe from relegation and they found themselves 2-0 down inside five minutes thanks to goals from Jo Kuffour and Darryl Duffy. The visitors pulled one back through Daniel Nardiello's 28th-minute effort, but were caught cold again at the start of the second half. Lambert netted with his left foot from 10 yards after 46 minutes and two minutes later provided the pass for full back Aaron Lescott to fire past Jan Budtz. From then on the Pirates coasted to victory against a Hartlepool side that never looked like achieving the point they needed, but results elsewhere secured their safety.