Hartlepool United 2-0 Aldershot Town: Mani Dieseruvwe's brace ensures impressive Pools remain unbeaten under interim boss Lennie Lawrence

Pools made a bright start and went ahead when Dieseruvwe lashed a stinging effort beyond Marcus Dewhurst.

The first half showing was a remarkable turnaround for a side that have struggled so much, particularly at home, for the majority of the season and Aldershot were fortunate not to be further behind at the break as Dewhurst produced a string of saves to prevent Dieseruvwe adding a second.

Dieseruvwe eventually got the better of the inspired Shots stopper again nine minutes into the second half when he headed home following David Ferguson's corner to score his eighth goal of the campaign.

The visitors rarely threatened to get back into the game as Pools made it five points from three matches under Lennie Lawrence and moved up to 14th in the National League table.

Pools were looking to finish a decent week on a high note after Lawrence had managed to breathe new life into a side low on confidence and out of ideas.

The veteran, one of a select few managers to have been in the dugout for more than 1,000 games, took interim charge after Darren Sarll was sacked last week.

Pools were dumped out of the FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round stage for only the second time in their history and Sarll, who managed to alienate the fan base and failed to fulfill his promise of exciting, high pressing football, was relieved of his duties following just four wins from 15 games.

Lawrence, who turns 77 in December, has changed his side's shape, altered the "pressing philosophy" and steadied the ship as Pools hunt for Sarll's successor.

Pools came into the game off the back of successive draws on the road and impressed at Altrincham on Wednesday night, passing up several presentable opportunities to return to the North East with all three points.

Lawrence named an unchanged side from the midweek trip to Manchester, meaning Nathan Asiimwe, who ran the Robins ragged on the right-hand side of midfield, started back-to-back games for the first time since joining on loan from Charlton.

There was one change on the Pools bench as Louis Stephenson, who returned from his loan spell with Blyth Spartans earlier in the week, replaced Darren Robinson after the Northern Ireland under-21 international was recalled by parent club Derby County.

Skipper Luke Waterfall was absent from the squad for the second game in a row.

Aldershot, meanwhile, arrived at the Prestige Group Stadium level on points with Pools following an indifferent start to the campaign under manager Tommy Widdrington, who was part of the Pools side that won promotion to League One in 2003.

The Shots finished an impressive eighth last term and missed out on the play-offs on the final day of the campaign but lost attacking midfielder Josh Stokes, who scored 18 goals last season, and talismanic top scorer Lorent Tolaj over the summer.

Widdrington made four changes from Aldershot's goalless draw with Southend in midweek.

Former Pools defender Rollin Menayese started in the heart of the defence while veteran James Henry, who came into the game with six goals already to his name this season, returned to the side along with Hady Ghandour, Olly Scott and Josh Barrett.

Despite difficult starts, both sides looked to be gathering a little bit of momentum and Pools kicked off unbeaten in their last three National League games while the Shots had taken four points from their previous two matches.

Pools looked happy to sit off Aldershot in the opening exchanges as the visitors made a bright start and almost created the first chance of the game when Olly Scott stole in front of Tom Parkes but couldn't connect with Ashley Akpan's cross.

Dan Dodds has been in fine form of late and got the home crowd out of their seats for the first time after four minutes when he drove down the right flank and pulled the ball back for Adam Campbell but the frontman never quite looked set and dragged a tame effort well wide.

However, Pools fans didn't have to wait much longer before they had something to celebrate when Mani Dieseruvwe fired them in front a minute later. The frontman picked Menayese's pocket before lashing a venomous half-volley beyond Aldershot's Marcus Dewhurst to make it 1-0.

Pools were beginning to show signs of fulfilling some of their considerable potential and almost doubled their lead when Joe Grey couldn't quite rise high enough to connect with another threatening cross from Dodds.

Josh Barrett fired wide as the Shots tried to get back into the game before Adam Campbell, who looked to be benefitting from a run in the side, was well off target with a speculative strike from distance.

Pools were organised out of possession and were pressing as a team as Campbell had another shot from range, clipping the wall with an ambitious free-kick, before Dieseruvwe drilled a low effort straight at Dewhurst.

The home side were unrecognisable from the trials and tribulations that characterised Darren Sarll's tumultuous tenure and Mani Dieseruvwe almost doubled their lead midway through the first half when he forced a sharp save from Dewhurst before Asiimwe was caught offside attempting to follow in the rebound.

There was a poignant moment in the 25th minute as supporters observed a minute's applause in memory of former Pools midfielder Michael Maidens, who wore the number 25 shirt, following the 17th anniversary of his tragic death at the age of just 20.

Pools thought they'd made it 2-0 after half an hour when Dieseruvwe's header almost squirmed under Dewhurst following Campbell's deep cross; from afar, it appeared as though the ball might have crossed the line but there weren't too many complaints from the home side and it looked to be the right decision from referee Zac Kennard-Kettle.

Dieseruvwe would have had a first half hat-trick had it not been for the heroics of Dewhurst and he forced another fine save from the former Sheffield United stopper when he latched onto the impressive Nathan Asiimwe's cross in the 33rd minute.

Aldershot managed to regain a modicum of control in the latter stages of the opening period but Pools had been outstanding in the first half and the only disappointment for the hosts was that they weren't further in front at the break.

It was a bit of a surprise, given the home side's dominance in the first half, that Aldershot opted to stick with the same shape - 3-4-3 - and personnel after the restart but the visitors were showing signs of growing into the game and Josh Barrett had Brad Young scrambling with a shot from the edge of the box in the 50th minute.

The Shots weren't on top for long and Dieseruvwe resumed his battle with Dewhurst three minutes later, stinging the goalkeeper's palms from range after winning the ball from James Henry.

And Dieseruvwe finally got the better of Dewhurst for the second time in the 54th minute when he headed home David Ferguson's corner to make it 2-0 and score his sixth goal in five games.

Pools were, at last, giving the home supporters something to shout about and the fans responded by generating a lively atmosphere as David Ferguson forced another save from Dewhurst with a free-kick.

At the other end, Josh Barrett curled wide from the edge of the box but there was little suggestion the Shots were about to engineer their way back into the game even after Tommy Widdrington made a string of substitutions.

Lawrence made two changes of his own and the newly introduced Luke Charman and Anthony Mancini made an instant impact, combining well with Dieseruvwe before the mercurial Frenchman's goalbound shot was blocked by Menayese as the clock ticked down.

Shots substitute Ryan Jones lashed an effort over the bar after latching onto a misplaced pass from Dan Dodds while Tom Parkes threw himself at another threatening David Ferguson cross as Pools looked to put the result beyond doubt 10 minutes from time.

Dieseruvwe almost bagged his second hat-trick of the season late on but his effort was deflected over the bar before referee Zac Kennard-Kettle blew for full time as a much-improved Pools moved to within four points of the play-offs.

Pools: Young; Dodds, Sass-Davies, Parkes (c), Ferguson; Sheron, Featherstone; Asiimwe (sub, Charman, 70), Campbell (sub, Mancini, 70), Grey (sub, Mathurin, 88); Dieseurvwe.

Shots: Dewhurst; A. Jones (c), Menayese, Byrd (sub, Ellison, 58), Scott; Frost (sub, Barham, 55), Hargreaves, Ghandour (sub, R. Jones, 74); Henry (sub, Maja, 58), Barrett (sub, Corbett, 90), Akpan.

Att: 3,356 (97 away).