TOWN might have beaten the big cold snap but still found themselves frozen out by 10-man Hartlepool.

Boss Lee Clark and the home fans in the 9,294 crowd – impressive on such a bitterly cold evening – were left frustrated as chance after chance again went begging.

Only 160 hardy souls followed the visitors, but they were the ones who left happy as their side survived to secure a point despite the sending off of Daniel Nardiello in the 51st minute for a late challenge on Alex Smithies.

Having intended to keep faith with the side which beat Peterborough, Town boss Lee Clark was forced into a last-minute change after Danny Cadamarteri injured a calf muscle during the warm-up.

Keigan Parker stepped up from the bench with James Berrett being added to the substitutes.

Hartlepool were without key goal-scoring midfielder Andy Monkhouse through suspension.

Former Town centre-back Sam Collins was on the Pools bench.

Nardiello had the first chance in the second minute but shot weakly at Smithies.

But Town, with Lionel Ainsworth looking lively, soon found their rhythm, and the right winger’s eighth-minute run and cross had the Pools defence in trouble, but just evaded the leaping Anthony Pilkington.

Town fans didn’t have long to wait for something to cheer, however.

A minute later, right-back Andy Holdsworth played a neat one-two with Parker and continued his run into the box.

His low cross was intended for Phil Jevons, but Pools skipper Michael Nelson attempted to intercept and sliced the ball into his own net.

Nardiello, on loan from Blackpool, was proving Pools’ liveliest player, with a 15th-minute shot blocked by Holdsworth and an 18th-minute effort well saved by Smithies, again being watched by a string of Premier League scouts.

Meanwhile, Town’s Jim Goodwin shot well over before Pilkington’s one-two with Michael Collins won a 21st-minute corner from which Andy Butler came close after a nod-on by fellow centre-back Nathan Clarke.

On 26 minutes, Parker turned neatly onto Robbie Williams’ pass to deliver a shot which was deflected over.

Then Ainsworth broke down the right and sent a low ball across the face of goal, with no teammate able to get a touch.

After good approach play by Parker, Pilkington and Jevons, Ainsworth had a 30th-minure drive blocked.

Then ex-Sheffield Wednesday man Ritchie Humphreys had to stretch to clear Williams’ deep 32nd-minute delivery from the left.

Pools had been on the back foot for a long stretch.

But they tested Town when Ritchie Jones sent Nardiello clear through on 33 minutes, with the striker shooting just wide under pressure from the backtracking Clarke.

And in the 39th minute, the same combination came up with the equaliser, this time Nardiello feeding Jones with a pass from the left from which the midfielder beat Smithies with a crisp low drive into the keeper’s right-hand corner.

Neat interplay by Ainsworth and Holdsworth set up Jevons as Town tried to hit back immediately, but the frontman fired wide from the edge of the area.

The complexion of the game changed six minutes into the second half when Nardiello was shown a straight red card after leaving Smithies prone with a lunging challenge for what Pools man claimed was a 50:50 ball.

Williams, Clarke, Jevons and Collins all came close as Town tried to quickly press home their numerical advantage.

Pools were defending with spirit, but were almost caught out in the 66th minute when Ainsworth flicked the ball past Humphreys and brought a good save from Aaron Lee-Barrett, who then got down well to deny Pilkington in the 73rd.

There were also late chances for Ian Craney, Parker, Butler and Ainsworth.