Grimsby Town boss questions Hartlepool United penalty decision in Good Friday defeat

Hurst’s side made it five without a win since their FA Cup quarter-final with Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion last month as the Mariners’ first season back in the Football League looks to be tailing off.

And it was something Hartlepool were able to take full advantage of on Good Friday as they returned to the North East with a vital three points following an emphatic 4-1 win – their biggest of the season.

But within that, Hurst was left to question a decision made by the referee in awarding Hartlepool a penalty in the second half which would allow John Askey's side to retake the lead after Michee Efete had levelled for the home side.

Efete was penalised for a robust challenge on Wes McDonald with the main question relating to whether the foul took place inside the penalty area or not with Hurst feeling the decision went against them.

"I never felt we got started but, despite that, in the second half we found ourselves level in the game and at that point looked the more likely to go on and win it,” said Hurst.

"Then the decision for the penalty – I genuinely don’t believe it is. I think he’s got it wrong.

"It’s a close one, but from where I was I never thought for a second he was going to give a penalty, I wasn’t worried or concerned.

"That went against us and thereafter we didn’t do enough and the longer it went, the scoreline got greater in their favour then we certainly lost our way.

“You look at the stats and they don’t fit the result,” Hurst added to GrimsbyLive.

"I’ve got no qualms in the end with who the better team were in the first half.

“Having equalised you’d hope that we’d kick on and it looked like we might for a moment, but it went south after the penalty.”

Instead it would be Pools who would kick on with Kemp grabbing his hat-trick four minutes later before Josh Umerah added a fourth soon after.

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