Match report: Hartlepool 5 - 3 Town

Oct 22 2008 By Dougie Thomson

TOWN were sunk by Hartlepool’s dramatic late blitz in the latest madcap match at Victoria Park.

After successive 3-3 home draws and a come-from-behind 3-2 victory at Walsall, home manager Danny Wilson’s call for his side to "cut out the craziness" clearly fell on deaf ears in a game which swung on a controversial penalty.

With Liam Dickinson twice scoring direct from free-kicks and making a goal for Ian Craney in between, Town looked on course for a third victory in four League I matches on the road when they led 3-2 with seven minutes of normal time to go.

But then Joe Skarz was harshly ruled to have fouled Tony Sweeney when it seemed both players were simply challenging for a 50:50 aerial ball.

Cheshire referee Scott Mathieson gave the spot kick on the advice of Lancastrian assistant Neil Yates, and Aussie striker Joel Porter smashed the ball into the roof of the net.