But while the second half was a one-sided affair, the first was more even and with better finishing, the Dons might have caused an upset.
In the end they buckled under home pressure as Pools got the chance to show their class and finished up clear winners.
Hartlepool took the lead after 21 minutes. Hugh Robertson found Tony Sweeney on the edge of the area, and he turned in acres of space before lifting his shot over keeper Matt Baker for his ninth goal of the season.
The Dons were far from out of it and either side of the goal Allan Smart might have scored.
He had a shot cleared off the line by Chris Westwood after six minutes, blasted another shot well off target on the half-hour and hit the bar with a 20-yard free-kick in the 35th minute.
But Boyd's quick-fire double early in the second half killed off the Dons.
After 49 minutes he chased a long ball from the back, won possession wide on the left of the area, and cut inside before lashing an angled shot into the roof of the net.
Eight minutes later he did even better with a tremendous goal from the edge of the box after controlling a pass from Jack Ross and side-stepping his marker.
Boyd went off injured, but in the 80th minute it was four when Joel Porter scored from close range after his penalty was saved by Baker - the spot kick was awarded for a foul by Ben Chorley on Porter.
The fifth arrived in the last minute when Ross crossed from the right, Richie Humphreys controlled it at the far post and squared the ball for substitute Andy Appleby to bundle it home from close-range.