Hartlepool United 1-1 Crewe Alexandra: Pools dealt another late blow as Paul Hartley's wait for first league win continues

Pools held the lead until the 85th minute thanks to Josh Umerah’s first half penalty only for Daniel Agyei to earn the Railwaymen a point late in the game.

Pools were good value for their lead at the break and had the opportunities to seal the points in the second half but once again were hit with another late equaliser following Colchester United’s 94th minute goal 10 days ago.

Much of the talk ahead of the game was whether or not Paul Hartley would hand a debut to new signing Chris Maguire after the former Sunderland forward joined earlier in the week following his exit from League One side Lincoln City.

But Maguire’s debut was put on hold with the 33-year-old not involved in the match day squad.

There was no place for full-back Jamie Sterry who continued to miss out with a foot injury but there was some more positive news in that both Umerah and Mikael Ndjoli returned to the squad, with Umerah leading the line once again.

Callum Cooke was also back in the side having recovered from a tendonitis issue in his knee as he replaced captain Nicky Featherstone who is to see a specialist for an ankle injury picked up in the draw at Colchester.

Featherstone’s absence meant goalkeeper Ben Killip was handed the armband.

And it was Pools who forced the first opening of the game when Tom Crawford and Brody Paterson linked up on the left to free Wes McDonald, but the in-form winger’s effort at goal was the wrong side of the post.

Pools were almost made to pay for that a minute later when Agyei was able to skip by Paterson before his deep cross found an unmarked Tariq Uwakwe who volleyed wide.

But they were the only two openings in a scrappy opening quarter before Pools started to dictate things a little through Crawford, Paterson and McDonald in particular.

McDonald had a driving run down the left before picking out Reghan Tumilty but his effort was well blocked.

Cooke dragged wide from distance before Pools thought they had a penalty when Paterson’s clever ball into the feet of Umerah saw him go down under pressure from Rod McDonald but referee Martin Coy waved away appeals.

The Railwaymen would not be as fortunate just after the half-hour though as they failed to clear McDonald’s corner with Cooke able to pinch the ball away from Callum Ainley in the area before drawing a foul.

Coy this time pointed to the spot and Umerah, emphatically, made no mistake from the spot.

Agyei, Crewe’s main threat in the first half, teased an equaliser on the stroke of half-time when he beat both Paterson and Mouhamed Niang before firing well off target as Pools went in at the break in front.

But it was the visitors who came out with a spring in their step, particularly Agyei, who was able to pick out Courtney Baker-Richardson in the area but he was unable to add to his five goals already this season when glancing just off target.

Agyei won a free kick which Uwakwe delivered for Rod McDonald to narrowly head over as Alex Morris’ side pressed for an equaliser.

Uwakwe tested Killip from range low to his left before Arthur Okonkwo had to hold well from Tumilty.

Alex Lacey nodded just wide at the back post from a corner as Pools tried to consolidate things in the second half before substitute Bassala Sambou came close to an equaliser for the visitors when sliding in a cross from the left but Killip was well placed.

But Pools came close to sealing the points 15 minutes from time when Tumilty dug out an excellent cross for Umerah who was equal to it in the six-yard box only for Okonkwo to force it just wide.

And Umerah had another golden opportunity eight minutes from time when he robbed Luke Offord on halfway to advance on goal - but after having to cut back onto his right foot, it took the sting out of his effort with Okonkwo level to it.

This time Pools would regret it as Crewe levelled things with five minutes to go when Agyei got perhaps what he deserved on the night when turning in Charlie Finney’s first time cross on the left.

It was another late sucker-punch for Pools who might still have won it only for Umerah to fire high over the bar from Joe Grey’s lay off, but instead Hartley’s side remain without a league win.

Hartlepool United XI: Killip ©, Tumilty (Shelton), Menayese, Lacey, Murray, Paterson, Niang, Cooke (Grey), Crawford, McDonald (Oduor), Umerah

Subs: Letheren, Ferguson, Hastie, Ndjoli

Crewe Alexandra XI: Okonkwo, Williams (Finney), Offord ©, McDonald, Uwakwe, Ainley (Sambou), Mellor, King, Thomas (Leshabela), Baker-Richardson, Agyei

Subs: Richards, Tabiner, Sass-Davies, Adebisi,