Doncaster bounced back from Friday night's defeat by leaders Swansea to climb into second place following an impressive performance.
Rovers started at a whirlwind pace that the visitors could not match and should have had more goals to show for their dominance.
They set the pattern in the first minute when James Coppinger crossed from the right and visiting keeper Arran Lee-Barrett fumbled, but Mark McCammon fired over the bar.
Rovers continued to pressure the United defence and Jason Price set up a chance for Coppinger in the fifth minute, but his powerful left-foot volley was punched away by the keeper.
Hartlepool had barely been in the game but they sounded a warning in the eleventh minute when David Foley slammed a 20-yard shot just wide of the mark following a quick counter-attack.
Rovers regained control with Richie Wellens firing just wide from 20 yards, before forcing the keeper into a save with another cracking effort.
The only surprise was that it took Doncaster 34 minutes to make the breakthrough when Wellens lashed a low shot into the net after James O'Connor had dribbled into the penalty area.Michael Nelson hit a fierce shot just wide before the interval, but Doncaster took charge again in the second half with Price missing a good chance in the 53rd minute before Adam Lockwood made it 2-0 soon after.
Green crossed from the right and, when McCammon's header rebounded off team-mate Price, it was Lockwood who reacted quickest to hit a low left-foot shot into the net.
Price was unlucky when he had a shot cleared off the line in the 74th minute and Rovers went desperately close again three times in the closing stages with McCammon and Sean McDaid having efforts blocked on the line.