Pools lost out 3-1 to MK Dons this afternoon in a closely-fought game at stadium:mk this afternoon.
A Rune Lange goal just after the half hour mark gave a spirited Pools a deserved lead but an instant fightback from the hosts drew things level.
Turner's side battled hard in the second half but it was to be in vain as the hosts snatched a late goal to take the lead before rounding it up in the 90th minute to take all three points.
It was a much-changed starting eleven for Pools at MK Dons this afternoon as injuries and suspensions forced Chris Turner to make five changes to the team that played last weekend in the game with Walsall.
And Pools new strike force of Rune Lange and Liam Henderson were busy at the right end of the pitch in the early stages of the game.
Jonny Rowell, another new addition to the eleven this afternoon, was bright for Pools in the centre of midfield, covering a lot of ground and battling hard for possession.
Turner's side looked bright as they took a very positive approach to the game and both Henderson and Andy Monkhouse saw headed efforts held by Willy Gueret as Pools pressed early in the game.
At the other end, Arran Lee-Barrett matched the efforts of the forward line when he pulled off a good save to deny Jemal Johnson with a pacy strike on goal.
Gary Liddle tried his luck for Pools with a similar strike but Willy Gueret reacted well to hold the effort.
MK Dons passed the ball about well as they looked to make inroads into the Pools' backline but Turner's men read it well in a first half that proved to be an entertaining one.
With Pools more than holding their own against an in-form MK Dons, Andy Monkhouse went close to opening the scoring when he fired in from the edge of the box only to see the ball flash wide of target.
With 36 minutes on the clock, Turner's men took a deserved lead; when Alan Navarro headed the ball back to his defence, the ball fell loose and Rune Lange nipped in between the central defensive pair to nick possession. The Norwegian striker showed great composure to run in one-on-one with Gueret before calmly lifting the ball over the keeper and into the back of the net for his first goal for the Club.
Unfortunately though, the lead lasted no more than a minute as Roberto Di Matteo's outfit hit straight back.
A ball into the box from the left wing cannoned around the box and, despite Lee-Barrett blocking the initial shot, the ball bounced right back to Ali Gerba who poked it straight past the Pools' stopper to make it 1-1.
It was a disappointing blow for Pools who pushed the hosts all the way in this opening forty-five minutes.
The lively Jason Puncheon put in a fierce strike on goal as the half came to a close but his effort from the right side of the box flashed right across the face of goal before scraping wide of the far post.
Liam Henderson fired in a low drive at the other end which was held by Gueret before Lee-Barrett made a great one-handed save at full stretch to deny Dean Lewington on the stroke of half time.
The whistle brought an exciting first period to an end and Chris Turner could take plenty of positives from his side's performance so far.
And the second half provided a similar start to the first - with Henderson testing Gueret early on and Luke Chadwick firing straight into the arms of Lee-Barrett with a close-range punt at goal.
As MK Dons began to enjoy a spell of pressure, Lee-Barrett again came out on top as Chadwick fired in from the edge of the box but Pools had to work hard to keep the hosts at bay.
Lee-Barrett did well to pluck a Jemal Johnson ball into the area out of the air while at the opposite end, Lange tried his luck with a cheeky chipped effort on goal - but his ball bounced just the wrong side of the crossbar.
The Pools' stopper then made sure he got just enough on a close range effort from Sam Baldock to deny the hosts from capitalising on a strong period of pressure.
As the half progressed, the game lost some of its tempo and MK Dons began to enjoy the majority of possession.
Pools had to be strong at the back and there was a worry when Michael Nelson appeared to be knocked out after an aerial challenge but the big defender recovered well to continue.
Jemal Johnson fired just over the crossbar with a dipping shot from a dangerous position and then the blow came in the 86th minute when another Johnson ball into the box from the left was squeezed through and past Lee-Barrett, into the bottom right corner of the net by Dean Lewington with a dipping header.
The goal proved a cruel blow for Pools who had matched MK Dons for much of the game and looked to be on their way to a deserved share of the spoils this afternoon.
The hosts grabbed another goal in the 90th minute to really take it out of Pools' reach when Tore Andre Flo squared unselfishly for Gerba to poke home from close range - making it 3-1 to MK Dons.
The result flattered the hosts slightly but Pools leave Milton Keynes without the points this afternoon and travel home to prepare for the visit of Leicester City to The Vic on Tuesday night.
Att: 8657 (338 Pools)
Pools: Lee-Barrett, Humphreys, Nelson, Collins, Sweeney, Monkhouse, Liddle, Rowell (Power 84), Foley (Mackay 81), Lange, Henderson
Subs Not Used: Young, Tait, Cook
MK Dons: Gueret, Stirling, Lewington, Llera, Johnson, Regan, Baldock, Puncheon (Leven 65), Gerba, Navarro, Chadwick (Flo 77)
Subs Not Used: Abbey, Magnay, Belson
