Hartlepool United manager Kevin Phillips hails Mani Dieseruvwe after striker scores 20th league goal as Pools beat Halifax

The 29-year-old became just the fourth Pools player to score 20 league goals in a single season in the last 50 years, following in the formidable footsteps of Adam Boyd, Joe Allon and Paul Barker, when he scored the only goal of the game from the penalty spot after Terrell Agyemang had been tripped in the box.

It's another milestone in a remarkable season for Dieseruvwe, who had been on a rare barren run of five games without finding the target before he notched against his former club.

Since scoring a brace, including an 89th minute winner, on his debut against Gateshead, the frontman has played every minute of every game for which he has been available, reaching the 20-goal mark for the first time in his career.

Yet Dieseruvwe, who was rewarded for his prolific campaign with a call-up to Paul Fairclough's England C squad earlier this month, has added more than just goals to Pools, with his link-up play and ability to hold the ball up becoming vital since he signed from Halifax last summer.

And Phillips, who knows all about what it takes to be a successful striker, was full of praise for the marksman following a milestone afternoon.

"Let's not beat around the bush, if he wasn't in the side scoring the goals, we would be in a relegation fight," he said.

"I'm delighted for him, he's a great lad. He's absolutely buzzing.

"He's a big lad, he gets his body position right and no one can get round him.

"He's a central striker, so I reminded him that I don't want him chasing down the channels, I want him playing within the 18-yard lines.

"There's no one I would trust more than him to step up and score that penalty - even though I didn't watch it, I couldn't watch.

"He's a massive player for us, that's for sure."