Hartlepool United news: Bromley boss hails 'magnificent' performance plus Pools women win again

Pools were on the same number of points as the Ravens before Craig Hignett's men went down 2-1 at the Super 6 Stadium.

Goals from Marc-Anthony Okoye and Luke Coulson put Bromley 2-0 up at the break, before Liam Noble netted a late consolation for the hosts.

And Smith, whose side have now recorded back-to-back wins in the National League, was delighted with how his side performed.

"We were coming here to a team that was in form, we'd watched them against Ebbsfleet, obviously they beat Boreham Wood 4-0," Smith told the Bromley website after the game.

"Craig has got them playing some fantastic stuff, they are a very, very good side.

"We knew we had to stop them but when we got the chances we knew we had to be clinical in both boxes and I think we were today."

Smith was particularly impressed with Coulson's goal on the stroke of half-time, after the midfielder showed great control before volleying past Pools keeper Scott Loach.

"Luke Coulson's goal before half-time, that would grace any game," added Smith. "To take it from behind him with one touch and them volley it, it's an absolutely fantastic finish.

"It was all the graft, the boys stuck together, they knew it was going to be tough. I thought the boys were magnificent today."

"When they changed formation to try and combat us you know you're doing something right.

"They're a good side Hartlepool and that's a fantastic win for us."

Elsewhere, Hartlepool Women won 4-1 at Rotherham United on Sunday afternoon, as new manager Jonathan Gibbon-Hayes got off to a perfect start.

Justine Robinson scored a hat-trick for the visitors while Jade Pye also got on the scoresheet.

“I am delighted to get the three points on board,” Gibbon-Hayes told the club's website after the game.

“I thought all the players showed a real desire to play for the Club and they tried to implement some of the football we had worked on in training."

Hartlepool's youth team were also on the road at weekend and claimed a credible 0-0 draw at at second-placed Bradford City on Saturday.

The result moves Pools up to fourth in the Youth Alliance League North East Division table.