Carlisle United closed the gap on an automatic promotion place to a single point when they beat Hartlepool United 3-1 at Brunton Park.
It was a comfortable win for Paul Simpson’s men against a side struggling at the wrong end of the table in relegation trouble.
Fprmer Blues boss Keith Curle, now in charge of Pool, badly needs more re-enforcements if he is to conjure up an escape for a club who only just regained Football League status two years ago.
It took only six minutes for Carlisle to take the lead when Hartlepool keeper Ben Killip could only palm Kristian Dennis’ header into the path of home skipper Morgan Feeney who made no mistake.
Dennis was to go on and add two more goals to his season’s tally to take him to 17 for the campaign.
He had almost made it 2-0 with a shot which struck Killip and then the post but on 26 minutes he found the back of the net with a sweet finish into the bottom corner.
Hartlepool were given some hope two minutes later when their top-scorer Josh Umerah showed his clinical finishing ability to beat Tomas Holy and register goal number 13 for the season.
In the second half Killip did well to get to Callum Guy’s long-range effort and turn it over the bar on the hour.
But six minutes later Dennis restored the two-goal advantage when he headed home a delightful cross from Owen Moxon.
To add to Hartlepool’s woes they had Rollin Menayese stretchered off in stoppage time and they stay two points clear of the drop zone.
For Carlisle it’s onwards and upwards as they consolidated fourth place and are now just a point behind Northampton.
