Assistant manager Chris Brass paid tribute to Scunthorpe's players as they claimed their first win in eight games at Hartlepool.
Sam Togwell and Garry Thompson established a two-nil lead and, despite Andy Monkhouse's late consolation, the Iron held on to record only their second away win of the campaign and inflict a ninth successive home defeat on Pools.
"It's a relief, it's pleasing," Brass admitted. "We are fully aware of our position in the table and where we are at. But in football it turns quickly and the boys put in a very good performance on the back of a decent one at the weekend.
"
You have to go that extra yard in football at every level and they did that here.
"There's lads who started who, if we had a bigger squad, would have been left out. But they came through and the potential is there - they have to believe in themselves and it's a long haul to get where we want to be.
"
Performances like that set the standard and set you up."