Paul Sturrock's side edged their way towards a top six spot with a rare victory at Hillsborough.
Steve MacLean and substitute Matt Hamshaw were on target after the Hillsborough side had carved out the chances in a one-sided affair.
Guylain Ndumbu-Nsungu, back at Hillsborough after a loan spell at Preston, was inches away from snatching the opener in the 15th minute heading over from six yards as he stretched to meet a Chris Brunt corner.
The Congolese striker was the provider minutes later threading the ball to MacLean as Dimitrios Konstantopoulos bravely dived at his feet to snatch the ball before the ex-Rangers frontman shot over as he chased Paul Heckingbottom's long ball downfield.
Brunt carved open the Hartlepool back four in the 30th minute and his deep cross was headed back by MacLean to Glenn Whelan who was waiting on the edge of the area, but his tame shot was snuffed out easily by the Greek keeper.
Hartlepool midfielder Richie Humphreys tried his luck with a long-range strike, the ball dipping inches over the bar before Konstantopoulos foiled Whelan, sticking out a foot to block the midfielder's crisp 20-yard volley.
MacLean then drilled a low shot a fraction wide of the post and Hartlepool escaped again two minutes before the interval when the unlucky MacLean was denied by Konstantopoulos before Whelan fired wildly over.
MacLean finally beat Konstantopoulos in the 59th minute sticking out a foot to stab Brunt's low cross over the line from close range.
Nsungu-Ndumbu and Lewis McMahon both had efforts blocked on the line in quick succession in the 70th minute before substitute Hamshaw killed off Hartlepool four minutes from time as his looping 25-yard shot took a deflection as it curled into the far corner.