Hartlepool United 3, Macclesfield Town 2.

THE cry of 'we're going to win the league' rang around Victoria Park last night, and the rest of League Two could well believe it.

But, despite sitting pretty at the top of the table for the first time since the promotion year of 2003, lessons can be learned from a game in which Pools went close to dropping two points.

Having built up a comfortable two-goal cushion, when James Brown's fantastic fifth of the season was backed up by Richie Barker's finish just after the hour, Hartlepool were in command.

However, two goals inside four minutes pulled Macclesfield level, when Jordan Hadfield delivered a stunning strike then Pools keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos handed the visitors a second.

But Danny Wilson's men are made of stern stuff and, with the clock ticking down, Ritchie Humphreys' breathtaking free-kick three minutes before time bounced off the bar and rebounded off defender David Morley into his own net.

Hartlepool had extended their unbeaten run to 17 matches and, given they were the only team in the top four to pick up maximum points last night, they sit three points clear of Walsall, who lost at Stockport.

After a ninth win on their travels at the Plainmoor mudbath on Saturday, Pools returned to the Victoria Park comforts looking for an 11th home win of the campaign.

And their cause was helped by the return of Ben Clark at the heart of the defence after illness.

Wilson also decided to that allow Gary Liddle to push forward into the midfield role he has looked so comfortable in.

But it was his partner in the middle who was first to go close.

Humphreys' deep cross into Macclesfield territory was badly judged by goalkeeper Tommy Lee. Antony Sweeney, lurking with intent, pounced but his shot towards an empty net was deflected for a corner by defender Morley.

The flag-kick could also have brought Pools an early lead but, after possession fell to Eifion Williams 25 yards out, the Welshman's right-foot strike zipped a yard to the wrong side of the left upright.

Despite plenty of pressure from the home team, Lee had little to do until Brown struck after 26 minutes.

The outstanding header belied the youngster's years, while the build-up was the stuff of champions. Humphreys' pass into the feet of Williams was superbly taken on the turn after Barker's step-over.

Williams delivered a pin-point cross to the unmarked Brown and the right-midfielder applied the sound finish high into Lee's far corner.

The Silkmen's defensive start had to change and suddenly chances start appearing with more regularity. The best, though, was not until four minutes before the break.

Sweeney's perfectly weighted through pass was picked up by Brown. He danced his way round two defenders before whipping in a powerful centre that was narrowly missed by Williams on the line.

Given Hartlepool's only defeat from 19 fixtures came, albeit controversially, to Macclesfield in the FA Cup, there was an awareness of the aerial threat.

It was kept at bay until Macclesfield pushed forward after the interval. They looked far better when they passed the ball into feet but even then the blue and white defence tended to clean things up.

After the restart the pressure was cranked up. Pool, without hitting top gear, continued to pepper the Macclesfield area and Clark was first to go close when his effort at the back post was blocked.

Konstantopoulos was first called into action when he was equal to Alan Navarro's low strike into his arms. Hartlepool, however, broke down the opposite end and Barker slid in to increase the advantage after neat play involving Williams and Sweeney.

That did spur the visitors into life at least.

Murphy had hit the post from distance after Konstantopoulos went walkabout and then Hadfield drove his belter into the big Greek's far corner.

It got even worse for the keeper when he dropped a routine cross and, after a mad run of events inside the box, substitute Tipton was credited with the equaliser.

Konstantopoulos redeemed himself with a stunning save from Murphy's close range header and Morley's calamitous own goal three minutes before the end spared the keeper's blushes further.