Half-time: Bristol Rovers 2 Hartlepool United 1: Early goals from Jo Kuffour and Darryl Duffy gave Bristol Rovers a dream start in their final game of the season at the Memorial Stadium.

Hartlepool – still needing a point to be mathematically certain of survival – were in danger of being overwhelmed during the opening stages.

But they grabbed a goal back through Danny Nardiello after 28 minutes and then gave a better account of themselves in the later stages of the opening period.

Rovers made two changes from the side that had started the 2-1 defeat at Swindon Town a week earlier, handing 20-year-old Charlie Reece his first start.

Though the youngster is left-sided, he began on the right of midfield with Duffy recalled on the left.

The home side made a pulsating start with Reece playing a part in the build-up that led to the opening goal in only the third minute. His pass forward was chased down by the overlapping David Pipe and the ball eventually found Chris Lines, whose pull-back was fired home by Jo Kuffour for his 12th goal of the season.

Two minutes later, the Pirates doubled their lead as Rickie Lambert's pass fed Duffy, whose low shot from 14 yards beat keeper Jan Budtz to his left.

Budtz had to dive to his right to steer away another strike from Kuffour in the 14th minute as the home side threatened to put the Monkey Hangers to the sword during the early stages.

Even central defender Byron Anthony almost got in on the scoring act in the 23rd minute from a Stuart Campbell corner, but Michael Nelson got in a crucial block as the Welshman let fly from 10 yards.

It was 25 minutes before the visitors managed an attempt, but Andy Monkhouse's header to Anthony Sweeney produced a left-foot shot which rolled well wide of goal.

Two minutes later, however, Pools pulled a goal back after Daniel Nardiello struck at the third attempt.

His initial shot come back off the underside of the bar before Steve Phillips made a save to deny him from the rebound. But as the ball broke lose, the on-loan Blackpool striker finally fired home from close range to put the visitors back in the game.

Duffy should have re-established Rovers' two-goal cushion in the 32nd minute but fired over the bar after being fed by Kuffour.

Then Nardiello had a chance to put Pools back on level terms but saw his shot deflected over the top.

Bristol Rovers (4-4-2): Phillips, Pipe, Anthony, Elliott, Lescott, Reece, Campbell, Lines, Duffy; Lambert, Kuffour. Subs: Hunt, Rigg, Disley, Kite, St Louis-Hamilton.

Hartlepool United: Budtz, Liddle, Nelson, Collins, Skarz, Jones, Sweeney, Clark, Robson, Monkhouse, Nardiello. Subs: McCunnie, Humphreys, Mackay, Rowell, Lee-Barrett.

Referee: Grant Hegley (Herts).