Charlie Austin's 16th goal of the season kept alive Swindon's promotion hopes and left Hartlepool in trouble.
The Robins lie one point off second spot, but this defeat leaves Pool just a point from safety.
Austin struck in the 22nd minute when, with his back to goal, he held off Sam Collins and Antony Sweeney to turn and fire low past Scott Flinders.
Sweeney went closest for the home side, hitting the bar, but Swindon were good value for the win.
Swindon manager Danny Wilson told BBC Wiltshire:
"It wasn't the best of games... the pitch made things difficult. It was bobbly and it was hard to keep it down.
"It was always going to be difficult - they are fighting for their lives.
"We rode our luck a few times: there was one hit the bar and another, at the death, the post. When you're doing well you have the luck and maybe that was ours."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 27 March 2010
League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Hartlepool
0-1
Swindon
FT
(HT 0-1)
Austin 22
Hartlepool
01 Flinders
02 Austin
05 Collins
06 Clark
03 Humphreys
07 McSweeney
08 Jones (Rowell 63)
11 Monkhouse (Brown 24)
15 Sweeney (Boyd 75)
30 Gamble
32 O'Donovan
Substitutes
21 Cook,
16 Haslam,
14 Rowell,
10 Boyd,
12 Brown,
18 Mackay,
26 Bjornsson
Swindon
01 Lucas
03 Sheehan
06 Greer
19 Jean-Francois Lescinel
21 Darby
04 Douglas
07 McGovern
24 Ward (Easton 87)
30 Ferry
09 Nouble (Paynter 60)
32 Austin (Timlin 83)
Substitutes
12 Smith,
02 Cuthbert,
15 Amankwaah,
08 Easton,
10 Timlin,
25 Marshall,
20 Paynter
Ref: OliverAtt: 3,536
HARTLEPOOL
SWINDON
Possession
Hartlepool52%
Swindon48%
Attempts on target
Hartlepool5
Swindon4
Attempts off target
Hartlepool7
Swindon0
Corners
Hartlepool2
Swindon4
Fouls
Hartlepool13
Swindon12
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:45 The referee signals the end of the game.
90:00+3:08 Shot by Ritchie Humphreys from outside the box goes over the net.
90:00+2:18 Jonny Rowell has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box missing to the wide left of the goal.
90:00+1:51 James Brown has an effort at goal.
86:50 Free kick taken by Alan Sheehan.
86:50 Substitution Craig Easton replaces Daniel Ward.
86:50 Foul by Leon McSweeney on Simon Ferry, free kick awarded.
83:21 A cross is delivered by Michael Timlin.
82:18 Direct free kick taken by David Lucas.
82:18 Substitution Michael Timlin is brought on as a substitute for Charlie Austin.
82:18 Unfair challenge on Stephen Darby by Adam Boyd results in a free kick.
81:50 Alan Sheehan crosses the ball, Charlie Austin takes a shot. Scott Flinders makes a comfortable save.
77:34 Centre by Neil Austin, Adam Boyd takes a shot. Save made by David Lucas.
77:11 Jonny Rowell sends in a cross, clearance made by Alan Sheehan.
75:27 Free kick awarded for a foul by Gordon Greer on Roy O'Donovan. Jonny Rowell crosses the ball in from the free kick, clearance made by Jonathan Douglas.
74:39 Substitution Adam Boyd replaces Antony Sweeney.
71:35 Alan Sheehan concedes a free kick for a foul on Antony Sweeney. The ball is delivered by Jonny Rowell, Ben Clark takes a shot. Save made by David Lucas.
70:07 Antony Sweeney is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by David Lucas.
69:39 Ritchie Humphreys takes a inswinging corner to the near post, Simon Ferry manages to make a clearance.
68:06 Shot from 18 yards by Antony Sweeney. Comfortable save by David Lucas.
67:08 Foul by Neil Austin on Stephen Darby, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by David Lucas.
66:58 Leon McSweeney produces a cross, clearance made by Jon-Paul McGovern.
65:05 Leon McSweeney challenges Billy Paynter unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by Alan Sheehan.
62:35 Substitution Jonny Rowell joins the action as a substitute, replacing Ritchie Jones.
61:26 Free kick awarded for a foul by Lescinel Jean-Francois on Roy O'Donovan. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Ritchie Humphreys, comfortable save by David Lucas.
60:27 Roy O'Donovan is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Alan Sheehan.
58:51 Substitution Frank Nouble goes off and Billy Paynter comes on.
58:51 A cross is delivered by Daniel Ward.
56:03 A cross is delivered by Ritchie Humphreys, Roy O'Donovan takes a shot. Save by David Lucas.
55:22 Daniel Ward produces a cross.
54:00 The ball is crossed by Jon-Paul McGovern.
51:54 Corner taken by Jon-Paul McGovern from the right by-line, Ben Clark makes a clearance. Outswinging corner taken by Alan Sheehan from the left by-line, Shot from 18 yards by Gordon Greer. Save by Scott Flinders.
51:18 Roy O'Donovan challenges Lescinel Jean-Francois unfairly and gives away a free kick. Free kick taken by David Lucas.
49:01 Corner taken by Joe Gamble from the left by-line played to the near post, Daniel Ward makes a clearance.
48:31 Simon Ferry challenges Roy O'Donovan unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Sam Collins.
47:39 The ball is crossed by Ritchie Jones, James Brown concedes a free kick for a foul on Gordon Greer. David Lucas takes the free kick.
46:52 The referee blows for offside. Scott Flinders takes the indirect free kick.
46:24 Simon Ferry fouled by Ritchie Jones, the ref awards a free kick. Alan Sheehan takes the direct free kick.
45:44 Alan Sheehan gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Roy O'Donovan. Free kick crossed left-footed by Ritchie Humphreys, clearance made by Frank Nouble.
45:01 The game restarts for the second half.
Half Time
45:00+1:36 The referee blows for half time.
45:00+0:58 Foul by Alan Sheehan on Roy O'Donovan, free kick awarded. The free kick is delivered right-footed by Joe Gamble from right wing, clearance made by Lescinel Jean-Francois.
43:38 Lescinel Jean-Francois gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Roy O'Donovan. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Neil Austin.
41:48 Jonathan Douglas fouled by Antony Sweeney, the ref awards a free kick. Gordon Greer takes the free kick.
40:42 Effort on goal by James Brown from 20 yards. Save by David Lucas.
39:35 Antony Sweeney takes a shot.
37:05 A cross is delivered by Jon-Paul McGovern, save by Scott Flinders.
34:24 Gordon Greer crosses the ball, clearance by Leon McSweeney.
33:37 Centre by Jon-Paul McGovern, Foul by Daniel Ward on Leon McSweeney, free kick awarded. Scott Flinders restarts play with the free kick.
32:39 Roy O'Donovan gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Douglas. David Lucas takes the direct free kick.
32:14 The ball is swung over by Jon-Paul McGovern, Neil Austin makes a clearance.
31:40 Daniel Ward fouled by Leon McSweeney, the ref awards a free kick. Lescinel Jean-Francois takes the free kick.
29:47 Daniel Ward gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Leon McSweeney. Scott Flinders takes the direct free kick.
29:06 Ritchie Humphreys has an effort at goal from outside the penalty box which goes wide left of the goal.
27:38 Neil Austin sends in a cross.
27:10 Simon Ferry gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Joe Gamble. Ben Clark takes the free kick.
24:08 Inswinging corner taken by Alan Sheehan from the right by-line played to the near post, Ben Clark makes a clearance.
23:29 Substitution James Brown replaces Andy Monkhouse.
21:30 Assist by Simon Ferry.
21:30 GOAL - Charlie Austin:Hartlepool 0 - 1 Swindon Charlie Austin finds the net with a goal from inside the area to the bottom left corner of the goal. Hartlepool 0-1 Swindon.
20:27 Jon-Paul McGovern delivers the ball, comfortable save by Scott Flinders.
19:35 The ball is crossed by Daniel Ward, clearance by Sam Collins.
17:40 Centre by Andy Monkhouse, clearance by Gordon Greer.
14:26 Neil Austin fouled by Charlie Austin, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Neil Austin.
13:34 A cross is delivered by Daniel Ward, clearance by Neil Austin.
11:37 Unfair challenge on Sam Collins by Frank Nouble results in a free kick. Sam Collins takes the direct free kick.
10:14 Inswinging corner taken by Alan Sheehan from the right by-line played to the near post, Gordon Greer takes a shot. Save by Scott Flinders.
9:40 Ritchie Jones gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Simon Ferry. Jonathan Douglas takes the free kick.
9:05 Sam Collins concedes a free kick for a foul on Frank Nouble. Gordon Greer takes the direct free kick.
8:57 The ball is sent over by Neil Austin, Jonathan Douglas makes a clearance.
5:43 Centre by Frank Nouble.
4:28 Foul by Roy O'Donovan on Lescinel Jean-Francois, free kick awarded. Stephen Darby takes the direct free kick.
3:07 Centre by Andy Monkhouse, save by David Lucas.
1:37 Roy O'Donovan has an effort at goal from just inside the box that misses to the right of the goal.
1:25 The ball is delivered by Alan Sheehan, Neil Austin manages to make a clearance.
0:00 The referee gets the game started.
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