Hartlepool stun Swindon at the death to boost survival hopes

Posted Sunday, April 02, 2023 by PA

Hartlepool snatched a dramatic League Two lifeline with an injury-time victory over Swindon.

Substitute Oliver Finney cracked home from 25 yards to lift Pools to within two points of third-bottom Crawley.

Connor Jennings brought the hosts level in the 88th minute, cancelling out Rushian Hepburn-Murphy’s early opener, before Finney’s wonderful strike sealed a first win under new boss John Askey.

The Robins went ahead after five minutes. The Pools defence backed off and Hepburn-Murphy fired in a firm drive from 25 yards.

The goal gave the visitors, who are 12 points off the play-off places, an advantage they were happy to hold.

But Pools went close to a leveller in the first half, Jennings heading against the bar from a Dan Dodds free-kick.

Pools forced the game in the second period and in the 58th minutes goalkeeper Sol Brynn pushed away a strong Jamie Sterry shot at his near post. From the corner Brynn kept out a close-range Jennings header.

The hosts kept going and grabbed a deserved equaliser after 88 minutes as Jennings turned in a Wes McDonald cross from close range.

And when Finney was allowed to run at the visiting defence his shot was too good for Brynn and sent the home crowd into raptures.