Pools lost out 1-0 to Nottingham Forest in a tight game at The Vic this afternoon.

Danny Wilson's men were more than a match for promotion-chasers Forest for 83 minutes of the game but when sub Lewis McGugan fired home late on, there was no way back for Pools.

Wilson suffered a blow in the ninth minute when Joel Porter was forced off after injuring his left knee in a challenge - although the Aussie striker seemed to keen to continue, he conceded defeat and limped from the field to be replaced by Michael Mackay.

Despite the hosts starting the brightest, Pools probably edged the first period on possession, though chances were few and far between at both ends.

Forest had the first chance of the game to open the scoring when the ball fell to James Perch around seven yards out on goal but as he spun and shot, the ball edged wide of the near post.

Nathan Tyson had the visitors' best chance of the first period when he broke through, just escaping the attentions of Sam Collins before running in on goal but, with Arran Lee-Barrett running out to narrow the angle, Tyson's shot deflected off the big keeper and went wide of target.

Pools' first real chance on goal came mid-way through the half when the lively James Brown, who found himself the main target for some strong Forest challenges this afternoon, pushed in on goal only to see his final punt go high over the bar.

Ben Clark, playing in a central midfield position alongside Gary Liddle, had a great chance to give Pools the opener- a long Sam Collins throw into the area was headed on by Michael Nelson only to fall for Clark on the edge of the box and the former Sunderland man executed a great volley which flew through the area only to scrape wide of the right hand post.

Although neither side really dominated the opening period, there was some good football played in spells and it was Wilson's men who looked the strongest going into the break - but the final touch was needed if the final home game of the season was to end on a high.

Forest looked brighter after the break - perhaps buoyed by the half-time news that fellow promotion chasers Carlisle United were losing - and they had the first effort on goal in the second half when sub Kris Commons fired in a low drive from the edge of the box but Lee-Barrett got down to hold the chance.

Nathan Tyson should have given Forest the lead ten minutes into the second periodwhen a great ball in from the right was headed down by Kelvin Wilson right onto the head of Tyson but his final header from almost point-blank range went wide of target.

Minutes later and Tyson had another good chance to open the scoring from a corner kick but once again his headed effort missed the target.

The tempo really went up a gear with just half an hour remaining as Wilson's men dug in and the home fans really found their voices.

And, with Pools enjoying much more of the possession and giving Forest a real battle, David Foley fired in a low drive at goal which keeper Paul Smith collected at the second attempt.

As the Pools players found their confidence, James Brown lashed in an effort from 25 yards out which edged high over the bar while at the other end Kris Commons whipped in a pacy free kick that skipped over the wall but kept on rising and went over the bar.

A ball in from the left of the area from Tyson found Commons in the perfect position running in on goal and, with Lee-Barrett wrong-footed their looked set to be a goal, but as was the case for much of the afternoon, the Forest man put his chance wide of target.

At the other end, Matty Robson, who made a big difference for Pools after coming on as sub, powered down the left wing before firing a ball across the face of goal only for Michael Mackay's outstretched foot only to get enough on the ball to help it go narrowly wide.

Forest sub Lewis McGugan made more of an impact for the visitors though when they went straight on the attack and, when the ball was played into McGugan, he made no mistake as he thundered a left-footed strike past Lee-Barrett into the back of the net to give his side the lead.

Despite some late possession for Pools, there was no way back into a game in which there had been few real chances all afternoon and so Wilson's men leave their final home game of this season with a 1-0 defeat.

Att: 5206 (911 away)

Pools: Lee-Barrett, Sweeney, Nelson, Collins, Humphreys, Foley (Robson 71), Liddle, Clark, Monkhouse, Brown, Porter (Mackay 9)

Subs Not Used: Elliott, Antwi, Boland

Nottingham Forest: Smith, Wilson, Lockwood (Davies 68), Chambers, Morgan, Perch (McGugan 68), Tyson, McCleary, Cohen, Clingan, Ormerod (Commons 46)

Subs Not Used: Breckin, Davies, McGugan, Thornhill