Wes McDonald’s late winner earns Hartlepool a long-awaited victory

Posted Wednesday, October 05, 2022 by PA

Substitute Wes McDonald struck a late winner to finally end Hartlepool’s wait for a first Sky Bet League Two win of the season as they beat Doncaster 2-1.

It had looked like 18-year-old Bobby Faulkner’s first career goal would earn Rovers a point when he hammered in a finish from just inside the area with 23 minutes remaining.

That had cancelled out Hartlepool’s opener seven minutes before half-time when striker Josh Umerah pounced to score his sixth of the season.

But McDonald, introduced from the bench in the second half, scored in the 86th minute to earn Keith Curle his first win since taking charge – and with it Hartlepool’s first victory in 21 league games dating back to March.

Former Pools forward Luke Molyneux went closest for the visitors before the opener when he shaved the outside of a post from distance.

And Doncaster’s Hartlepool-born goalkeeper Jonathan Mitchell made a stunning save to keep Umerah’s header from flying in too.

But there was no stopping Umerah’s low finish on the slide from Clarke Oduor’s cross to raise hopes of a first home win since February.

Molyneux, Adam Clayton, Kieran Agard and Harrison Biggins had all gone close for Doncaster when Faulkner looked to have earned a point.

But Hartlepool found an extra gear in the closing stages when McDonald, picked out in space on the left, darted inside the area before firing low inside the bottom corner to end that long wait for a win.