Hartlepool United climbed the National League table with a crucial 2-0 victory over Aldershot Town at the Suit Direct Stadium, thanks to a clinical brace from striker Emmanuel Dieseruvwe.
The Pools took an early lead just five minutes into the match. A slick attacking move culminated in Dieseruvwe’s opening goal, setting the tone for a dominant first-half display. Aldershot, visibly shaken by the early setback, struggled to establish any attacking rhythm. Their frustration was evident in the 17th minute when James Henry was booked for a foul. Despite Aldershot’s attempts to gain a foothold, Hartlepool’s resolute defence preserved their slender advantage going into the break.
Aldershot emerged for the second half with renewed purpose, pressing forward in search of an equaliser. However, their hopes were extinguished in the 54th minute. David Ferguson’s precisely weighted pass found Dieseruvwe, who calmly slotted home his second, doubling Hartlepool’s lead. This second goal seemed to deflate the visitors, and the match became increasingly fragmented with a spate of yellow cards. Oliver Scott was booked for Aldershot in the 49th minute, followed by Hartlepool’s Nathan Sheron in the 57th and David Ferguson in the 79th. The closing stages saw further cautions for Aldershot’s Cameron Hargreaves (80th minute) and Aaron Jones (81st minute) as tensions rose.
Despite a flurry of substitutions from both sides, the scoreline remained unchanged. Aldershot Town’s triple substitution in the 58th minute – introducing Jack Barham, Emmanuel Maja-Awesu, and Dan Ellison – failed to ignite a comeback. Hartlepool’s own changes, bringing fresh legs into midfield and attack, allowed them to comfortably see out the victory.
The win sees Hartlepool leapfrog Aldershot in the National League standings. Entering the match level on 18 points, with Hartlepool 17th and Aldershot 16th, the three points elevate Hartlepool to 14th on 21 points, while Aldershot slip to 17th. This result continues the closely-fought recent history between the two sides, who have now each won one and lost one of their last two encounters, with Hartlepool holding a 3-2 aggregate advantage over those matches.