Doncaster Rovers 0-1 Hartlepool United: Dan Dodds late stunner earns Keith Curle's side priceless win

The marauding defender, one of 11 January signings from manager Keith Curle, galloped forward late in the game to meet a hopeful ball from Josh Umerah before firing a wonderful effort in off the post in front of over 1,000 delirious Hartlepool supporters.

It felt like something of a fresh start for Hartlepool after their transfer business with Curle seemingly overhauling his squad for the final 18 games of the season - only one player, David Ferguson, involved in Curle’s starting line-up at Doncaster who started his first game in charge against Gillingham.

And that’s because Curle made the brave decision to drop Hartlepool No.1 Ben Killip with the 27-year-old coming under pressure in recent weeks.

Curle has shown his faith in Killip both on the team sheet and in his comments in recent weeks before taking the decision to involve Leicester City’s Jakub Stolarczyk for the first time since his loan arrival in January.

But Hartlepool’s goalkeeping situation was one of a number of talking points when team news landed at the Eco-Power Stadium with star striker Umerah on the bench for Curle’s side having been a doubt to make the match day squad at all late in the week when dealing with illness.

Umerah would likely have started at the Eco-Power Stadium but his absence meant a first Hartlepool appearance for Connor Jennings following his deadline day move from Stockport County - one of four to be handed their first starts after the transfer window closed.

Jennings was joined by MK Dons loanee Dan Kemp in attack while Oliver Finney started in midfield alongside Nicky Featherstone and Tayt Trusty as the Blackpool loanee kept his place in the line-up from the defeat to Colchester United.

Curle went with an unchanged back five but there was change on the bench, too, with new signings Taylor Foran and Brendan Kiernan joining the returning Joe Grey with no place for the likes of Wes McDonald, Jake Hastie and Mouhamed Niang, all of who travelled to South Yorkshire.

There was an early embrace between players and former Hartlepool player of the season Luke Molyneux when the squad arrived but the focus was very much on Hartlepool and what a somewhat new look side could achieve in front of a renewed following - with Curle’s side backed by over 1,000 travelling supporters.

And if this was to be the start of an 18-game mini-season for Hartlepool, they made a fairly encouraging start to it with plenty of the early possession at the Eco-Power Stadium.

New signing Kemp was heavily involved as he showed some promising signs of an early partnership with Jamie Sterry and Dodds on the right side of Hartlepool’s line-up.

But despite their possession, it was a game which lacked any real quality with neither side able to test the goalkeeper - something which Stolarczyk will have welcomed.

The Foxes goalkeeper collected well from Tom Anderson’s cross and was assured in his distribution when called upon.

At the other end, things appeared to open up for Finney after a smart ball in-field from Ferguson but the former Crewe midfielder almost had too much time on the edge of the area as he wasted the opportunity.

Dodds made an important block from Kyle Hurst after Ferguson was unable to clear a long free kick into the box but it was very much a scrappy affair.

That was until the best moment of the half for Hartlepool which should have seen Curle’s side take the lead.

Sterry and Kemp were heavily involved again on the right as the full-back threaded a clever ball between two Donaster defenders for Kemp who was able to advance into the area and pick out the unmarked Trusty who had timed his run into the box well but the Blackpool man dragged wide through a crowded penalty area.

But rather than rest on their laurels, Curle’s side fashioned another good opportunity minutes later as Jennings was able to put the ball into a good area for Finney to run onto and he did most of it right when lifting over former Pools stopper Jonathan Mitchell only to see the ball drop the wrong side of the post.

They were two chances which buoyed the travelling supporters before Sterry would again send in a teasing cross which Doncaster were able to scramble clear.

The half ended as Harrison Biggins tested Stolarczyk with a free kick from the edge of the area and Stolarczyk would be called into action early in the second half to make a big save from Caolan Lavery.

Jennings was unfortunate his attempt to hold the ball up cannoned into the path of George Miller who threaded a nice ball between Pruti and Hartley for Lavery in the area but Stolarczyk spread himself well to save.

And he was called upon again soon after when Miller and Lavery exchanged with Miller’s low strike held well.

Danny Schofield’s side were in the ascendancy to being the second half and Biggins twice saw a sight of goal, flashing just wide on both occasions before Curle responded by introducing Umerah.

Umerah was immediately involved to link with Jennings to force a corner and he was almost on the end of it as Pools gained a foothold back in the game.

And they were almost rewarded 10 minutes from time when a well-worked short corner routine between Featherstone and Kemp found Sterry who sized one up from 25-yards and had Mitchell at full stretch as it fizzed wide of his post.

But Pools weren’t done there, however, as Dodds’ wonderful effort with a minute to go, this time, went the right side of the post to give Pools a priceless win.

Doncaster Rovers XI: Mitchell, Brown, Maxwell (Rowe ‘66), Anderson ©, Williams, Miller, Biggins, Nelson (Molyneux ‘75), Hurst (Lakin ‘66), Lavery (Agard ‘81), Close

Subs: Jones, Olowu, Seaman

Hartlepool United XI: Stolarczyk, Sterry (Kiernan ‘81), Dodds, Hartley, Pruti, Ferguson, Featherstone ©, Trusty (Umerah ‘62), Finney (Dolan ‘76), Kemp, Jennings

Subs: Killip, Foran, Sylla, Grey

Referee: Sam Allison