Hughes sinks hapless Hartlepool
Fleetwood ground out a gritty 1-0 win at Hartlepool, leaving the hosts winless and goalless this season.
A tap-in from two yards from attacker Jeff Hughes was all that separated the sides at Victoria Park.
A low, raking shot from midfielder Antoni Sarcevic was spilled by Pools goalkeeper Scott Flinders and Hughes was on hand to knock in the loose ball.
The goal came after the brightest of openings from the hosts. Steve Howard met a deep Jack Compton cross and headed at goal, only for the Fleetwood skipper Mark Roberts to hook off the line.
Then Matty Dolan, on loan from Middlesbrough and making his debut, twice fired in shots from long distance before Bradley Walker curled a first-time effort wide of the post.
Lone striker David Ball then turned a low shot into Flinders in a rare visitors attack.
In the second half, it was the visitors who looked more likely to score during a quick spell of pressure.
Ball struck the frame of the goal from an angle before his goalbound volley was deflected wide.
Pools' best chance of a leveller came when Howard's header from a deep Jack Baldwin cross was tipped wide by diving keeper Scott Davies.
Source: PA
