Heartbreak for Hartlepool United after they are on wrong end of a seven-goal thriller at leaders Boreham Wood
Hartlepool United were on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller at league leaders Boreham Wood.
Hartlepool United were on the wrong end of a seven-goal thriller at league leaders Boreham Wood to leave them back in the National League drop zone.
Matt Rush scored a second-half stoppage-time winner for National League leaders Boreham Wood to settle a topsy-turvy 4-3 thriller with Pools. Danny Cashman opened the scoring for the hosts with a penalty in the 20th minute, and Boreham Wood took a two-goal advantage into the break after Tom White scored on the stroke of half time.
Maxim Kouogun cut the deficit in half two minutes after the restart, and it was all square after Cole Deeming opened his Hartlepool account five minutes later. Midfielder Jamie Miley fired Hartlepool in front with a stunner from distance just before the hour and Zak Brunt drew the sides back level in the 87th minute before Rush fired in the emphatic winner in the second of six added minutes.
Join the Mail’s WhatsApp HUFC Channel for the latest news, analysis and injury updates direct to your phone. Simply click this link to join.
The heartbreaking and agonising defeat leaves Pools fourth bottom with 15 points from 16 league games ahead of a free weekend after they were dumped out of the FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round stage. Max Merrick and Jack Nolan returned to the Pools starting line-up for the trip to Boreham Wood. Nathan Fisher had recovered from illness and was back on the bench. Defender Neo Eccleston was serving the second game of his three-game ban.
Cam John, Charlie Thornton, Owen Hampson and Corey McKeown remained sidelined along with Jay Benn, though he is back on the training pitches working.
HUFC: Merrick, Kouogun, McNally (C), Clark, Lavelle, Ilunga, Miley, Harris, Sheron, Nolan, Deeming.
Subs: Fisher, Gibson, Hunter, Penprase, Charman, Popov, Hugill.