Hartlepool United vs Scunthorpe United. Sky Bet League One.
Suit Direct Stadium, Hartlepool UnitedAttendance5,289.
Monday 2 January 2012 18:42, UK
Hartlepool suffered an unprecedented ninth successive home defeat as Scunthorpe record a 2-1 victory at Victoria Park.
Neale Cooper's first game back in charge of Pools ended in disappointment as the Iron won away for only the second time this season and registered their first three points in eight games. Scott Flinders made a good save to deny Andy Barcham before he was beaten after 32 minutes, Garry Thompson bursting forward and sending over a clipped cross which was turned in by the advancing Sam Togwell. Fifty two minutes had passed before Pools created an opening as Adam Boyd's volley was blocked by Niall Canavan, before the striker headed wide seconds later. Substitute James Brown then thought he had levelled only to see his downward header bounce high over the bar. And the visitors made it two-nil after 74 minutes with a classic counter-attack. From a Pools throw-in deep by the opposition penalty area, the ball was cleared and Thompson took possession in his own half and raced away before clipping past Flinders. Pools got one back with seven minutes remaining, Andy Monkhouse firing in from 25 yards but it was too little, too late.
