LUCAS AKINS’ second-half double was enough to hand Tranmere a third league win on the bounce and lift them into the play-off places with a comfortable victory over Hartlepool.

After the two sides went into the break locked in a stalemate the 22-year-old sparked into life and turned predator as his two close-range finishes did the job for Les Parry’s men who now sit sixth in the table.

And Rovers were well worth the victory, producing a perfect away performance, disciplined in defence and swift in attack, to inflict a third successive loss on the home side.

Parry’s side were fully committed from start to finish and, even when Pools changed to a three and then four-man forward line to claw a way back, Rovers remained stout and effective.

There was only 64 seconds gone when Rovers’ keeper Owain Fon-Williams was called into action.

James Poole, a former Man City academy prospect, surged past David Raven and laid the ball off to the edge of the area for Nathan Luscombe to latch onto, his fierce, first-time strike expertly tipped over by the keeper.

But Rovers soon had a chance of their own. Jose Baxter fed Adam McGurk and Scott Flinders had to get down low to keep the shot out at his near post.

Dave Buchanan was booked for a lunge on Andy Monkhouse on 19 minutes and, from the set-piece, Ian Goodison managed to hack away under pressure in a busy penalty area.

But Rovers’ compact 4-5-1 formation took the sting out of many of Pools’ attacks and the early spark the home side had wasn’t bright for long.

In possession, Pools stretched the visitors, with Luscombe, a former Sunderland academy and reserve teammate of Robbie Weir, at the heart of most things they created.

He burst through the middle and laid the ball into the part of the advancing Evan Horwood, but his cross was easy to deal by Ash Taylor.

Next time Horwood had the ball he slipped a pass in for Poole and he shot over the bar from 20 yards.

Rovers went close to taking the lead on 40 minutes as Akins surged past Stephen Wright and his clipped cross landed at the feet of McGurk.

The shot was heading for goal, until a last-ditch diving block by defender Neil Austin diverted the chance away for a corner that came to nothing.

But 22 seconds into the second-half, Rovers took the lead.

A swift move down the right saw Buchanan feed McGurk whose shot was parried by Flinders but invitingly for Akins to tap in from close range.

Confidence boosted by the goal, Rovers started to control proceedings, picking up all the loose balls and moving the ball around comfortably.

Home skipper Sam Collins was cautioned after a foot-up on Mustapha Tiryaki and, from the free-kick 30-yards out, McGurk fancied his chances on a wet surface, although his low shot wasn’t a problem for Flinders.

It should have been two minutes later when Jose Baxter, with his loan spell from Everton extended, nodded down at the far post and Weir prodded over from six yards with only Flinders to beat.

Baxter planted a header wide from a deep free-kick as Rovers maintained their pressure after Pools made a double attacking change to try and forge a route back.

Yet Akins was the one celebrating his second goal on 66 minutes. A long throw by McGurk was met at the near post by the attacker who turned in from close range.

A heroic goal-line clearance from John Welsh four minutes later maintained the advantage.

Horwood tapped at goal in a hectic scramble and the skipper flung himself forward to somehow keep out the low effort.

However, this was the last scare the travelling Tranmere fans had to worry about as they saw out the game with ease.