Hartlepool eased their way to a first home win of the season as Walsall were consigned to a 3-0 defeat.
First home win of the season for Chris Turner's side
Hartlepool eased their way to a first home win of the season as Walsall were consigned to a 3-0 defeat.
Pools had gone five games without victory at Victoria Park, but Walsall proved little threat and victory was a comfortable one. Two goals from Andy Monkhouse put Chris Turner's side in control before Colin Larkin completed the scoring.
Ritchie Humphreys slid a pass into the unmarked Monkhouse to motor into the area and pick his spot, shooting low across keeper Rene Gilmartin on 25 minutes.
The Saddlers were denied a leveller when Scott Flinders made a one-handed reaction save to keep out a Dwayne Mattis flick from Matt Richards' corner.
Monkhouse made it two after 50 minutes. Adam Boyd missed the target from eight yards, but the ball was only cleared as far as the left-winger who drilled in low from 16 yards.
Rhys Weston nodded wide and with the opening went any hope the Saddlers had of finding a way back. And the rout was completed after 75 minutes when James Brown's pass fed Larkin, who eased beat the offside trap and nonchalantly lobbed the ball high over the advancing Gilmartin for his first goal for the club.
