Two early penalties from Adam Boyd saw the home team through, but it was never easy against a battling Oldham side who have beaten Pool twice at Boundary Park this season.
Boyd's spot kicks took his tally for the season to 14, but Oldham hit the woodwork twice and had enough of the ball to change the result.
Hartlepool got off to a flier, taking the lead on six minutes when Boyd slotted in his first penalty after Will Haining's challenge sent Tony Sweeney tumbling in the box.
Oldham thought that was the wrong decision, and they were even more angry on 22 minutes when ref Phil Prosser awarded another spot kick, booking Kevin Betsy for pulling Chris Westwood back in the area.
Boyd again scored from the spot after Oldham's angry protests died down.
But Oldham had by no means been outplayed, and might have narrowed the gap on 27 minutes when home keeper Dimi Konstantopoulos pulled off a brilliant save when Richie Humphreys's header looked a certain own goal.
And a couple of minutes before the break, John Eyre saw his header go behind off the top of the bar.
Athletic did narrow the gap on 62 minutes when Neil Kilkenny's free-kick from the left was hammered in at the far post by Dean Holden.
But although Kilkenny's long-range shot bounced behind off the top of the bar a few minutes later, that was the best they could do and the Pools defence managed to hold out – just.