Hartlepool United v Sutton United RECAP: Tom Crawford strike earns Pools a point as winning run comes to an end

Pools fell behind inside three minutes at the Suit Direct Stadium when Joe Kizzi went unchallenged to head home Rob Milsom’s in-swinging corner.

And it led to what would be a sluggish opening 45 minutes from Graeme Lee’s side as they struggled to reach the levels of recent games.

As it was, it was Sutton who forced the initiative and might have doubled their lead but for some instinctive defending from Reagan Ogle to block Omar Bugiel’s strike.

Ogle was one of three changes Lee was forced into with Jamie Sterry and Joe Grey missing out through injury as David Ferguson was replaced through illness.

Ogle and Zaine Francis-Angol took on the roles of fullbacks as Lee stuck with his 4-3-3 system.

Newcastle United loanee Joe White came in for Grey while there was also a return to the bench for Gavan Holohan.

And Ogle wasn’t the only one with some last ditch defending as Neill Byrne did equally as well to deny Donovan Wilson.

Pools came close to an equaliser themselves when Luke Molyneux latched onto a loose ball from Omar Bogle but his first-time strike came off the post and out for a goalkick.

Lee’s side did improve in the second half and were rewarded early through Crawford’s composed finish inside the area as he found himself unmarked from Francis-Angol’s cross to lift into the roof of the net.

But neither side were able to do enough to force a winner as it ended all square at the Suit Direct Stadium.

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