Despite another entertaining performance from Pools this afternoon, Danny Wilson's men could find no way past a solid Stockport County side and, in the fourth minute of the three allocated for injury time, Tommy Rowe fired home a late winner for the visitors.
Pools deserved more from this fixture after putting in a hard-working and lively display but it was not to be this afternoon as Wilson's side suffered their first home defeat of the season.
The atmosphere inside The Vic for kick off was buoyant as fans celebrated the news that James Brown had signed a new contract with the Club this morning.
And Wilson's men reacted to the buzz inside the ground with a fast-paced and lively opening to the game, giving Stockport County little room in the opening exchanges.
Joel Porter had the first chance of the game for Pools when he latched onto a lovely cross from Antony Sweeney to power a header goalwards but his impressive effort scraped the crossbar as it went high of target.
Ritchie Humphreys was next to try his luck when he got on the end of a good spell of possession to fire a left-footed strike at goal but his curling effort went just wide of the near post.
As the half progressed, Stockport ground out more possession and Anthony Pilkington, a late addition to the starting eleven after Matty McNeil was injured in the warm-up, looked a threat for the visitors.
Pilkington drove forward down the left wing to the edge of the area before firing a low shot at goal but Lee-Barrett reacted quickly to get down and spill the ball around the post.
Sam Collins showed good reactions to block an effort from Stephen Gleeson inside the area as the visitors enjoyed a bit of pressure mid-way through the half.
Pools through were strong in defence and continued to look a threat with every attack - when Brown laid the ball square for Ritchie Jones on the edge of the box, the midfielder did well to fire a great shot in at goal but Owain fon Williams in the Stockport goal made the first of a series of impressive saves to claw the ball away from the top corner.
Michael Nelson threaded a ball through from his own half to Sweeney on the right wing; Sweeney moved into the box before firing a shot right across the face of goal which fon Williams got a good touch to only for Jonny Mullins to block Brown's powerful goalbound strike on the line.
Sweeney, looking solid at right back this afternoon, fed a ball in from the right for Joel Porter who flicked it across the area for Andy Monkhouse. And the winger looked set to give Pools the lead when he hit an effort at goal with the outside of his left boot but, with the ball looking set to roll into to bottom right corner of the net, fon Williams got down to pull off an impressive one-handed save and again keep Pools out.
Sub Alan Power, on for the injured Willie Boland, had a chance to give Pools the lead on the stroke of half time when he blasted in a shot from just outside the box but his effort flashed just wide of target and the teams went in goalless.
The second half saw much of the same as Pools threatened the Stockport goal with some good attacking play and visitors worked the home defence with pressure on the break.
James Brown instigated Pools' best opening after the break when he burst forward after winning the ball on the half way line, powering his way into the area before laying the ball into the path of the in-running Sweeney but the right back saw his shot go high over the bar.
At the other end, Pools were shaken as Tommy Rowe got a powerful header in at goal which crashed against the crossbar and bounced back into play.
Joel Porter powered his way in at goal from the left and looked set to power home but his final shot was deflected just wide for a corner kick. From the resulting corner kick, the ball found it's way to Porter on the right side of the box but his perfectly executed overhead kick saw the ball go agonisingly wide of the near post.
And Pools really began to test the County goal with a succession of balls into the box which left Stockport on the back foot - a long throw from Sam Collins was flicked on by Nelson for Brown in the centre of the box but the striker's looping header was once again excellently saved by the inspired Owain fon Williams.
Danny Wilson introduced Richard Barker to the action late in the game in place of Andy Monkhouse as Pools made their intentions clear but with Stockport County providing tough opposition it seemed as though it was not going to be our day.
And with the 94th minute being played, County pushed forward and Tommy Rowe hit home to snatch a point away from Pools as the defenders failed to stop his meandering run.
Next up for Wilson's men is Tuesday night's Carling Cup clash with West Brom at The Vic - what better way to bounce back?
Att: 3945 (401 away)
Pools: Lee-Barrett, Sweeney, Nelson, Collins, Humphreys, Jones (Foley 68), Liddle, Boland (Power 41), Monkhouse (Barker 83), Brown, Porter
Subs Not Used: Robson, McCunnie
Stockport County: fon Williams, McNulty, Owen, Raynes, Mullins (McSweeney 46), Dicker, Gleeson, Blizzard, Baker (Turnbull 70), Rowe, Pilkington
Subs Not Used: Thompson, Rigby
