Exeter City 1 Hartlepool United 2: Hignett thrilled as two goals in two minutes wins it

Pools trailed 1-0 to Liam McAlinden's 32nd-minute goal but turned the game on its head at St James Park.

Michael Woods drew Pools level on 74 minutes with Billy Paynter turning on a sixpence to beat Bobby Olejnik for the winner 60 seconds later.

Boss Craig Hignett was thrilled to see Pools turn it around after a tame first half performance at a sun-drenched Devon.

It came after a double half-time change with Matthew Bates and Padraig Amond coming on for the injured Rob Jones and Lewis Hawkins while he chaned from 4=-3-3 to 4-4-2.

“Second-half was much better, because we made hard work of it first half," said Hignett. "We werne’t sharp and didn’t move the ball well enough.

“We changed the shape, changed a couple of players and you could see second-half we played really well.

"I was pleased with what I saw second-half, we scored two good goals and, could have had more.

"A 2-1 away from home? I’ll take that.

“If we carried on in the second half the way we were in the first, we would probably have lost it so we had to change it.

"We did and we went onto win it.

“We had a chance seconds in the second-half, Podge [Amond] could have scored but took it early and pushed it wide.

“He scores them all day in training- maybe he was a bit rusty as it was the first 20 seconds on the pitch.

"But I was pleased with him – he works his socks off and I’ve a squad here I can change and use to win games."