Notts County 2-1 Hartlepool United

A Jorge Grant screamer and Shola Ameobi's first Notts County goal ensured boss Kevin Nolan kept his unbeaten home record intact as they beat fellow strugglers Hartlepool at Meadow Lane.

County were handed a golden opportunity to take the lead after 28 minutes as Lewis Hawkins handled the ball to gift the hosts a penalty.

But Ameobi's weak effort from the spot was pushed onto the post by goalkeeper Joe Fryer.

The striker made up for his miss shortly after the restart when Grant played a fine ball through to the forward who fired a low strike into the bottom-left corner of the net.

The hosts doubled their lead in emphatic fashion thanks to a 20-yard screamer from Nottingham Forest loanee Grant, who has now scored four goals in his last six games.

The visitors pulled a goal back eight minutes later when Haydn Hollis put the ball into his own net, but it was not enough as the Magpies held on to take all three points.

Match report supplied by the Press Association.