Hartlepool denied much-needed win by stoppage-time own goal

Reiss McNally’s stoppage-time own goal prevented Hartlepool escaping the National League relegation zone as they were held to a 1-1 draw at home to fellow strugglers Wealdstone.

Hartlepool created the better chances throughout the game, with visiting goalkeeper Dante Baptiste called into action several times to keep the game level across the first half and the start of the second.

The opener finally came in the 79th minute when Brooklyn Ilunga picked up a loose ball before firing into the bottom-left corner from the edge of the box.

Pools looked set to claim all three points which would have moved them out of the bottom four but in the fifth minute of added time Joe Newton’s cross deflected off defender McNally and into the hosts’ goal to earn Wealdstone a draw.