Hartlepool United 2 Gateshead 2: Returning defender's two-goal heroics not enough as Heed peg back Pools late

The Scottish defender, making his first start since September, netted twice, one either side of half time, the second to cancel out a Richard Peniket equaliser.

But with time ticking away Wes York struck as Heed rescued a point, much like Pools had done at the International Stadium a week earlier.

Having made a return after almost three months out at Gateshead a week previous, Watson was thrown in for his first start since September, joined by Sunderland loan man Michael Ledger.

Craig Harrison has hailed the influence of the Scot on and off the park while he was out with a knee problem and Watson was not about to make a liar of his manager, proving just how crucial he is to Pools after just seven minutes.

A curled free-kick from Nicky Deverdics from the left seemed to beat everyone in the area, but Watson was on hand to net his second of the campaign from close range.

As was the case at the International Stadium, before Blair Adams' moment of madness, Pools were comfortable. Gateshead saw plenty of the ball but were given little opportunity to create clear cut chances, with the hosts limiting them to long range efforts from last week's two-goal foe Scott Barrow.

But on 42 minutes, the same minutes Adams got his marching orders last week, Heed were level.

A Jordan Preston centre seemed to squirm all the way through a congested Pools box and into Scott Loach's bottom corner. The way Peniket celebrated it was clear he got a nick on the way through.

Gateshead started the second period where they left off in the first, dictating play.

For all their dominance, though, they failed to create a real clear-cut opportunity.

Pools, on the counter, almost caught Steve Watson's men on the hop. Just shy of the hour mark Devante Rodney burst down the right and cut back brilliantly, but as the ball skidded across the rain-soaked turf, Jake Cassidy could not grow the inch or two needed to tap home at the near post.

Buoyed by that Pools went on the offensive.

Rhys Oates, who again put in a tireless display supporting Cassidy, saw an opening from distance and brought the best out of Dan Hanford, who tipped wide.

From the resulting corner Pools were in front and it was that man Watson, yet again.

The delivery made its way to Watson, again positioned deep at the back stick, but this time the defender steadied himself to crack home a volley which any centre-forward would have been proud of.

Having shared four goals and two points seven days previous it was almost the same again when Paddy McLaughlin, who was given a torrid day defensively by Rodney, cracked an effort off Loach's bar with 13 minutes left on the clock.

Pools slowly began to retreat into their trenches, inviting Heed on to them yet again and they were made to pay when sub Wes York, barely on the park two minutes, netted a late leveller.

And it could have been much worse had Luke Hannant's delightful chip that hit the underside of the bar, bounced the wrong side of the line. But Pools live to fight another day, despite not picking the three points their season craved.