Hartlepool United 0-1 Newport County: Pools fall to stoppage time defeat as relegation fears increase

Keith Curle came under scrutiny from home supporters after Mickey Demetriou’s stoppage time winner for the Exiles.

Hartlepool failed to register a single shot on target throughout the 90 minutes and are now four without a win in League Two.

Curle’s side remain one point above the relegation zone although nearest rivals Crawley Town now hold four games in hand.

The significance of the week ahead for Hartlepool could not be underestimated, with two games at the Suit Direct Stadium after a morale boosting point earned against AFC Wimbledon at the weekend, having found themselves 2-0 behind.

But Hartlepool were rocked with injuries to captain Nicky Featherstone and January recruit Dan Dodds with both not involved in the match day squad.

With fears over the severity of Dodds’ injury, and Jamie Sterry serving the second of his three-match suspension, Curle opted to start David Ferguson at right-back in what was a back four - Edon Pruti moving to left-back to compensate for Ferguson.

Mouhamed Niang replaced Featherstone in midfield, with Oliver Finney also restored to the side, while both Jack Hamilton and Joe Grey were back on the bench which also included academy defender Louis Stephenson as Matt Dolan was ineligible as per the loan agreement with Newport when signing in January.

But despite the reshuffling, Hartlepool started on the front foot with weekend hero Dan Kemp threatening when dancing into the area before a clearance landed at the feet of Ferguson who volleyed wide.

Newport almost took the lead against the run of play when a hopeful ball forward was flicked on by Omar Bogle into the path of the advancing Harry Charsley who was able to scramble a ball into Calum Kavanagh inside the area but the Middlesbrough loanee was scuppered by the retreating Ferguson.

Bogle then escaped a push in the back on Taylor Foran as he saw a strike diverted over the bar before then heading wide from Kavanagh’s corner.

Referee Benjamin Speedie saw the frustration of home supporters with a series of questionable decisions including a yellow card for Pruti before Finney headed wide Mohamad Sylla’s cross in what was Pools’ best opportunity of the half.

A series of long-throws from Demetriou led to an opportunity for Cameron Norman early in the second half as Hartlepool looked sluggish after the break.

That was until Kemp was able to find Ferguson on the right with the midfielder timing his run perfectly to meet the cross only to fire over the bar.

Ferguson made a crucial block on Kavanagh who had made his way to the edge of the area as the visitors continued to look the more likely in the second half.

And Pools had loan goalkeeper Jakub Stolarczyk to thank when denying Charsley’s header after Aaron Lewis found space to cross on the left.

Curle threw on both Leon Clarke and Hamilton in an attempt to find a winner but it was Newport who came closer as Lewis brought a good stop from Stolarczyk before Demetriou rose to head home deep into stoppage time.

Hartlepool United XI: Stolarczyk, Ferguson, Foran, Hartley, Pruti, Sylla, Niang, Finney (Clarke ‘62), Kemp, Jennings (Hamilton ‘82), Umerah

Subs: Killip, Stephenson, Trusty, Kiernan, Hamilton, Grey, Clarke

Newport County XI: Day, Norman, Clarke, Farquharson, Bogle (McNeill ‘71), Lewis, Kavanagh (Zanzala ‘71), Bennett, Baker, Charsley (Evans ‘71), Demetriou ©

Subs: Ovendale, Bowen, Zanzala, McNeill, Moriah-Welsh, Evans, Cadwallader

Referee: Benjamin Speedie

Attendance: 3,908