Shrewsbury Town 3 : 0 Hartlepool United FC - Shrews thump sorry Pools

Shrewsbury returned to the top three in League Two after comfortably getting the better of bottom side Hartlepool 3-0.

All the goals came inside 18 second-half minutes with Andy Mangan scoring twice and setting up the other for James Collins.

There were chances at either end in an open first half with Shrewsbury making most of the early running.

Skipper Liam Lawrence's shot from the edge of the box was deflected narrowly wide before Mark Ellis headed just over and Collins sliced wide from a good position.

But Hartlepool, initially not looking like a side bottom of the Football League, gradually warmed to their task and started to cause Shrewsbury problems.

Jonathan Franks hammered a rising shot narrowly off target and Michael Duckworth's 25-yard drive was turned behind by goalkeeper Jayson Leutwiler who also had to be alert to deal with a deflected effort from Rakish Bingham.

But the second half belonged to Shrewsbury who did not look back once Mangan gave them a 50th-minute lead, tricking his way skilfully into the box before firing home from a tight angle.

Collins then swapped passes with Mangan before rifling in a shot from 12 yards just before the hour.

Mangan quickly claimed his 10th goal of the season in the 68th minute, a header from Bobby Grant's cross from the left.

Only some fine saves from Flinders, the pick of the bunch from Connor Goldson's header, prevented Hartlepool from losing more heavily.