A dramatic late equaliser from Welshman Eifion Williams earned Pools a deserved point at Swansea City this afternoon.

Despite starting brightly at The Liberty Stadium this afternoon, Pools found themselves 1-0 down with just over twenty minutes on the clock.

Martin Scott's men had started confidently, with Antony Sweeney looking bright in the centre of midfield as he worked hard to create opening for J-P Pittman and Jon Daly. And the midfielder had the ball in the back of the net just ten minutes into the game, but the linesman's flag ruled the effort out for offside.

Thomas Butler, back in the side after suffering a hamstring injury, gave Pools a chance when he burst forward from his own half, rounded his markers before hitting a low shot at goal. Unfortunately, the midfielder put little power on his effort and Willy Gueret collected comfortably.

However, despite Pools' early pressure, the hosts always looked dangerous going forward, with in form recent signing Leon Knight and Ade Akinfenwa causing problems in defence for Scott's men and Dimitrios Konstantopoulos was forced into action to keep out an Akinfenwa effort from close range.

And, with just twenty one minutes on the clock, the hosts took the lead in slightly controversial circumstances. Akinfenwa got up to challenge with the Pools' keeper for a high ball into the area and, despite Konstantopoulos feeling he was fouled in the aerial challenge, the striker nodded the ball into the area where Leon Britton was on hand to neatly slot home his first goal of the season to give the hosts the lead.

There was more bad luck to follow for Pools when Butler went down with what looked to be a recurrence of his hamstring injury and the midfielder had to be stretchered from the field.

With a Jon Daly effort from distance which edged over the bar proving to be Pools' only other real chance in the opening half, Knight enjoyed similar fate at the other end with his headed chance. The Swans' striker then tested Konstantopoulos late into the first half with a low shot on goal but the Pools keeper collected well.

Knight, who proved a handful with some lively movement for the hosts, continued to test the Pools' defence after the break when he found himself in good space in side the area but Gerard Nash, who enjoyed another steady performance alongside the impressive Michael Nelson, cleared the danger with a strong challenge.

But Pools stepped up their game again as the second period progressed and really tested the home defence. A Gavin Strachan corner kick caused a scramble inside the box and, with the ball falling to Pittman on the right side of the box, the young striker blasted an effort at goal, only to see his strike cannon off the crossbar and back into play.

A Strachan free kick from just outside the area further tested the home defence; the midfielder whipped in a curling ball only to see Gueret in the Swansea goal react well to tip it out for a corner kick.

And Strachan was involved in Pools' next big chance - his corner kick curled in towards the far post where Eifion Williams flickedit on and it edged just agonisingly ahead of Daly who was closing in on the chance.

Swansea City introduced Lee Trundle into the action mid-way through the second half and the striker did well to set up Akinfenwa - Trundle chipped the ball over the Pools' defence, who were looking for the offside flag, for Akinfenwa but fortunately for Scott's men, Dimi Konstantopoulos put in a brave challenge to intercept the move.

Pools battled hard in search of an equaliser, with James Walker added to the attack at the expense of Ben Clark, and their determination paid off when, late into the three minutes of injury time, Pittman picked up the ball inside the area and squared it for Welsh striker Eifion Williams who made no mistake in hitting the ball home with great delight to give Scott's men a well-deserved and much-needed point.

It was a determined display from Pools which was worthy of the point and Martin Scott will now take a confident squad into next weekend's home tie with Blackpool.

Att: 13, 960

Pools: Konstantopoulos, Barron, Nelson, Nash, Humphreys, Strachan (Bullock 87), Clark (Walker 80), Sweeney, Butler (E Williams 25), Daly, Pittman

Subs Not Used: Clarke, D Williams

Swansea City: Gueret, Ricketts, Tate, Martinez, Britton, Akinfenwa (Forbes 85), Monk, Robinson, Iriekpen, Knight (Trundle 63), McLeod

Subs Not Used: Watt, Austin, Murphy