Bristol Rovers v Hartlepool United LIVE!: Team news and updates as Graeme Lee's side head to the Memorial Stadium
Aaron Collins fired in from close range as Pools failed to clear their lines from a cross into the area from the left.
And with Pools chasing an equaliser in the closing stages they were reduced to 10 men as Jamie Sterry was given his marching orders for a tangle with Anthony Evans.
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Hide AdSterry was the last man with goalkeeper Ben Killip out of his area and left referee Carl Brook little option but to show the defender a red card.
And from the resulting freekick, Evans fired a delightful effort in off the crossbar giving Killip little chance.
Pools were much the better team for large parts of the game and will be wondering how James Belshaw was able to deny Mark Cullen in the second half and it was a chance they would rue in the closing stages.
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Bristol Rovers 2-0 Hartlepool United RECAP: Rovers grab late win as Jamie Sterry sees red
Key Events
- Hartlepool United XI: Killip, Sterry, Byrne, Liddle, Odusina, Ferguson, Featherstone, Crawford, Holohan, Molyneux, Carver
- Subs: Boyes, Ogle, Hull, Shelton, Daly, Grey, Cullen
- Marcus Carver makes his Hartlepool United debut
- Bristol Rovers XI: Belshaw, Grant, Kilgour, Collins, Nicholson, Coutts ©, Taylor, Anderson, Evans, Harries, Loft
- Subs: Jaakkola, Connolly, Anderson, Whelan, Pitman, Thomas, Clarke
Pools with a nice move to force an attack down the left but Ferguson’s cross doesn’t beat the first man with Molyneux and Carver in the area
A let off for Pools as Byrne shanks a clearance up into the air that Killip can only punch up into the air but he wins the foul.
Early freekick for Pools Feeatherstone plays it short and they win the first corner of the afternoon