HARTLEPOOL UNITED'S ability to deliver winning goals in the closing stages of matches has filled manager Danny Wilson with the confidence his team can stay at the top of League Two.

Pools' unbeaten run stretched to 17 league games on Tuesday night, when the winner against Macclesfield came two minutes from time.

It is not the first time during that record-breaking stretch that Wilson's men have delivered late winners.

Victories over Walsall, Mansfield, Peterborough and Bristol Rovers were all achieved with goals inside the last 15 minutes.

When the run started on November 18 at Accrington Stanley, Ritchie Humphreys' injury-time goal set the tone for what was to follow.

Wilson is well aware of the importance of the timing of such strikes and suggests it is a sign his team is full of winners, desperate to take three points from as many matches as possible.

"Against Walsall we went a goal down and that, at the time, was against the league leaders. We showed great character to come back," said Wilson, whose side now sit three points clear of second placed Walsall.

"Then on Tuesday we came back when the odds were stacked against us late in the game. The momentum was not with us at that time, yet we won it and for that I had to say well done to the lads.

"They have dug in on more than one occasion this season and they are showing the self-belief is there inside the squad as a whole.

"That's what you need if you want to achieve anything and as long as they have that, and show that, then we will do well."

Wilson still wants to see his men concentrate for the full 90 minutes, after giving themselves an uphill struggle to land all three points against Macclesfield.

Pools threw away a two-goal lead in four second half minutes before reclaiming a one-goal advantage in the final stages, when Humphreys' stunning free-kick caused problems for defender David Morley.

"When we get into positions like we did on Tuesday night we just have to learn to keep hold of the ball for a few passes," said Wilson.

"Not doing that was what allowed Macclesfield to go on and get back into the game.

"The lads can learn from the fact that when we did string a few passes together, it led to us going down the other end and scoring the winner, which stemmed from another deadly free-kick from Ritchie.

"It was tremendous character to do that and if we can keep showing that then we are more than capable of keeping this good run of form going."

Meanwhile, young midfielder Philip Turnbull has joined Conference North side Blyth on a month's loan.