Stevenage 6-1 Hartlepool: Six up for Stevenage

Tyler Walker bagged a brace as Stevenage bounced back from a drubbing at Grimsby to thump Hartlepool United 6-1 and move up to 15th in the League Two table.

Seven days after their humbling 5-2 defeat, Boro put six past hapless Pools.

Yet the visitors - who have failed to beat Stevenage in 10 attempts over the years - took the lead early on.

When the match was just four minutes old, Jordan Richards cross was not dealt with and Nathan Thomas knocked in.

Pools then controlled the next 10 minutes on the match but little did they know what was to follow.

After 27 minutes, Boro nicked possession and a low Ronnie Henry cross was turned in by Tom Pett from close range.

Debutant Walker curled wide before he scored a lovely second. A deep corner from Michael Tonge was not cleared in time and - with his back to goal - the Nottingham Forest loanee took off with his back to goal to volley in to make it 2-1 at the break.

A high corner after 53 minutes was turned in by Dean Wells at the second attempt and four minutes later came the fourth. The action started from a break down the left side as Boro cut through Pools and Walker rolled in his second.

Number five arrived from the penalty spot 69 minutes in as Tonge drilled the ball home after being manhandled by Carl Magnay in the box.

Walker should have had a hat-trick just a minute later but his shot was comfortably collected by goalkeeper Adam Bartlett.

And the sixth came with 12 minutes remaining as Bartlett raced off his line but failed in a one-to-one with substitute Henry Cowans, who headed into an empty net.