Josh Umerah brace helps Hartlepool fight back to earn point at Mansfield

Posted Saturday, October 01, 2022 by PA

Substitute Josh Umerah scored twice, including an 89th-minute equaliser, as struggling Hartlepool fought back from two goals down to earn a 2-2 draw at Mansfield.

Second-half goals from George Lapslie and Riley Harbottle had looked to put Mansfield on course for victory but Umerah reduced the deficit only moments after being hailed from the bench in the 61st minute.

The 25-year-old striker then levelled with a minute to go with his fifth goal of the season.

However, Umerah’s heroics still could not prevent Pools from equalling a club record – set in 2012 – of 20 EFL contests without a win.

Earlier, visiting keeper Ben Killip produced smart saves to deny Stephen McLaughlin twice and Lucas Akins.

The latter also skied over from six yards and Stephen Quinn had a goal chalked off for the hosts following a contentious offside flag.

Hartlepool did threaten in first-half stoppage time, though, when a 30-yard Euan Murray thunderbolt was pushed onto an upright by Christy Pym.

But it was Mansfield who would make the breakthrough six minutes into the second half, when Lapslie sidefooted in from seven yards following Kellan Gordon’s cross from the right.

Harbottle then doubled the advantage just before the hour, stabbing in his third goal of the season from four yards after a scramble in the box.

Town were in charge but, three minutes later, the Stags centre-back blotted his copybook with a woeful back pass that was intercepted by Umerah, who rounded Pym and found the net from a narrowing angle.

With time ticking down, Umerah then showed pace and power to break through the right channel and prod the ball past an advancing Pym to salvage a point for Hartlepool.