Antony Sweeney was again the hero as he grabbed a late header to draw Pools' level in a closely contested game at The Vic.

Martin Scott's men were clearly buoyed by last weekend's victory over Blackpool as they started the game full of confidence.

Pools pressured throughout the opening half, with Ritchie Humphreys delivering a series of testing balls into the box from the left and Thomas Butler teasing his fullback at every opportunity.

The tricky Butler was at the heart of the build-up to the opening goal when he cut inside and was brought down for a free kick thirty yards from goal. Mark Tinkler tapped the ball sideways and HUMPHREYS fired a left-footed effort at goal and, although Willy Gueret got a touch on it, the shot was too powerful and hit the back of the net, giving Pools a deserved lead.

Humphreys was also involved in Pools' other main chance of the first half when his ball into the box deflected out to Tinkler on the edge of the area. The midfielder powered a low drive through the area towards Gueret's goal but his effort edged just wide of the post.

Although Swansea enjoyed some early possession, Dimi Konstantopoulos had very little to do in the opening half as Pools continued to push forward.

The second half though, proved to be a slightly different story as the visitors came out fired up and looked determined to get back into the game, with both Kevin McLeod and Andy Robinson causing problems on the wings.

Pools did however have chances of their own and, when Tinkler lifted a perfectly-placed ball into the box, Jon Daly should well have done better with his effort, but a poor first touch saw the ball sail wide of the post.

Swansea made their pressure count just ten minutes after the re-start when Lee TRUNDLE, who found his form for the second half, popped up in the right place to head in a Robinson ball from close range after Pools had failed to clear their lines.

And TRUNDLE doubled his tally just five minutes later when he was bundled over in the box by Neill Collins. With no complaints from the Pools' defence, referee Mr Leake pointed straight to the spot and, although Konstantopoulos reacted brilliantly to keep out his initial effort, it was the Swans' striker who responded first to hit home the rebound.

Just as it looked as though Pools were heading for another home defeat, young midfielder Michael Maidens, who looked solid throughout, lifted a great ball across the area for Antony SWEENEY to head home past the out-stretched Gueret.

It was a deserved point for Pools in the end after some late pressure, and they could even have taken the lead when Steven Istead set up Sweeney who saw his effort well-saved and then David Foley fired a low effort at goal which just went side of the far post.

Pools again showed their battling spirit to come back from behind to take a point against league leaders Swansea City this afternoon and Martin Scott will have been pleased with the more fluent nature of their display.

Full Time: Pools 2 Swansea City 2

Pools: Konstantopoulos, D Williams, Nelson, Collins, Humphreys, Maidens (Istead 80), Sweeney, Tinkler (S Turnbull 63), Butler, Daly, Proctor (Foley 63)

Subs: Provett, Jones

Swansea City: Gueret, Ricketts, Tate, Martinez, Trundle, McLeod, Monk, Connor (Thorpe 16 (Austin)), Robinson, Iriekpen, Bean

Subs: Murphy, Goodfellow, Macdonald