Darlington 1 Hartlepool 2 final

Thompson (15 mins, 1-0),Hawkins (80 mins 1-1) Hawkes (81 mins, 1-2)

Attendance 1,758

Quakers were made to regret several missed chances as they were beaten by two goals in a minute.

Quakers led with a Stephen Thompson goal but couldn't add to it, and Pools made them pay with two goals in a minute.

There was plenty of noise from the Tin Shed when the game kicked off, and Hartlepool made most of the early running.

They had the first chance on 7 minutes when Niko Muir found Josh Hawkes outside the box, and Jonny Maddison went full length to save his left foot shot and Muir, from a tight angle, put the rebound over.

Quakers hit back with a run up the left by Jordan Nicholson, and he pulled the ball back for Harvey Saunders, who had a shot blocked.

Quakers took the lead on 14 minutes when Saunders put the ball into the area for Nicholson to have a shot fumbled by Ryan Catterick, and Stephen Thompson turned in the rebound.

Quakers nearly made it 2-0 when Nicholson struck a powerful shot from the edge of the box that Catterick saved well.

Pools nearly levelled with a good move that put Muir clear, but Maddison saved with his left foot.

Nicholson was always a danger, and just on half time he ran forward again, and fired left footed just over the top from the edge of the box.

Half time:

Darlington 1 Hartlepool 0

It was nearly 2-0 on 47 minutes. Nicholson broke quickly from defence and squared the ball for Thompson who set up Henshall to have a left foot shot well saved by Catterick.

Another chance came along on 53 minutes. Quakers put together a great move which gave Nicholson the chance of a left foot shot that Catterick saved low down to his left, and Saunders put the loose ball into the side netting.

Catterick came to his side’s rescue again after Quakers picked their way through , and the keeper pulled off a flying save from Nicholson.

From the corner that followed from Glover, Will Smith headed against the bar.

Nicholson had another chance on 68 minutes when he sidefooted wide after Thompson beat a defender on the right and pulled the ball back to him.

Saunders then had a shot blocked by Catterick on 75minutes when he was clean through from a Thompson pass

But Hartlepool equalised on 80 minutes when the ball was crossed from the left for Lewis Hawkins to head in off the underside of the bar.

And a minute later a clearance was charged down for Josh Hawkes to stroke into the bottom corner.

Final score:

Darlington 1 Hartlepool United 2

Darlington:

Maddison, Trotman, O'Hanlon, Smith, Ainge, Galbraith, Elliott, Wheatley, Saunders, Thompson, Nicholson

Subs: Glover, Hall, Henshall, Burn, Lingthep

Hartlepool:

Catterick, Hawkins (wearing 12), Amos, Cunningham, Kioso, Miller, McLaughlin, Newton, Muir, Hawkes, Kitching

Subs: Boyle, Fox, Shepherd, Leonard, Rennison