Hartlepool United manager Darren Sarll hails "wonderful, wonderful impact" of Anthony Mancini as Pools continue fine form on the road with Boston win

Mancini watched on from the bench as a lacklustre Pools struggled to make an impression on the game in the first half.

The visitors went behind after just four minutes when former Darlington frontman Jacob Hazel beat Adam Smith with a smart first-time finish, his fourth goal in four games.

Pools tried to get on the ball more than they have done in recent weeks but rarely looked like they were going to play through Boston and could have few complaints at heading into half time a goal down.

However, Sarll introduced Mancini at the break, sacrificing one of his three-central midfielders in Greg Sloggett, and the Frenchman's introduction changed the game as Pools turned the contest on its head.

The substitute drew the visitors level after 53 minutes following a sharp one-two with Roshaun Mathurin, who impressed on his first start for Pools; Mancini's low strike beat Boston goalkeeper Cameron Gregory at his near post, although the former Shrewsbury stopper might have been a bit disappointed not to keep it out.

Pools went ahead eight minutes later thanks to Mani Dieseruvwe, who was a popular goalscorer following a frustrating few weeks, and never really looked like forfeiting their lead as the home side struggled to contend with Mancini's creative influence.

It's been a frustrating start to the season for the Frenchman, who has been in and out of Darren Sarll's side, but his performance in midweek suggests he is beginning to get back to the sort of form and condition that saw him set the National League alight a little over 12 months ago.

"He had a wonderful, wonderful impact tonight," Sarll said.

"No one was more delighted for him than I was.

"He is working fabulously hard, I like the hunger that I see in Anthony at the moment - it's very refreshing.

"If he retains that then he's going to have a brilliant season and a wonderful career.

"Until he becomes the fittest he's ever been, the strongest he's ever been, the most resilient and robust he's ever been, he will never find the best version of him. That's just common sense.

"Right now, he's got to get in my team and he's made a good case for himself."

It was also an important evening for match-winner Mani Dieseruvwe, who has cut an increasingly frustrated figure in recent weeks as he struggles to rediscover the form that saw him score 23 National League goals last season.

The 29-year-old had managed just one in the first seven games prior to arriving in Lincolnshire and looked less than impressed at having been substituted in successive home games.

However, the talismanic frontman found himself in more threatening positions in midweek and reminded Pools fans of what he can do in front of goal with a well-taken winner following excellent work from Kieron Freeman.

"It was a smashing goal," Sarll said.

"I watched the finishing in the warm-up and I'd never seen anything like it, I think I saw 10 in a row go in the top corner.

"He deserved it."

It was a quintessential game of two halves for Sarll's side, who looked a bit imbalanced in the first period with the central-midfield trio of Nathan Sheron, Greg Sloggett and Jack Hunter all working hard without offering too much in an attacking sense.

Boston, on the other hand, played some fluid football and were a threat on the counter-attack, with goalscorer Jacob Hazel and winger Sam Osborne in particular impressing.

Sarll's half time change, which allowed Pools to get further up the pitch and threaten more in possession, changed the game as the visitors dominated the National League new boys after the restart.

"It was a very good win," Sarll said.

"It was a really good performance from the players, I didn't think we played awfully in the first half.

"It was a really different game for us and I like to see new challenges.

"At half time I was going to take one of our destructive defensive-midfielders off and just add another attacking player.

"It was a 30 second half time team talk - it was a new shape, Anthony came in for Greg and we wanted to feed our wide players."

Pools, who moved up into the play-offs following three points in Lincolnshire, travel to bottom side Ebbsfleet on Saturday looking to continue their fine form on the road.