Pools battled hard to the death to take a crucial point from this tense game with fellow strugglers Crewe Alexandra.

After a quiet first half, Chris Turner's men looked brighter after the break but neither team could find a breakthrough as the game finished 0-0.

It was the hosts who started the brighter this afternoon, testing Pools from the off.

Calvin Zola, playing as Crewe's lone front man, had the ball in the back of the net after just five minutes of play - only to see his effort ruled out by the linesman's raised flag.

And, while Pools settled a little more into their stride as the minutes passed, it remained Crewe who looked the more like opening the scoring.

Fortunately for Turner's men, Jan Budtz, holding onto his starting place despite the return of Arran Lee-Barrett from suspension, was in confident mood.

The big keeper showed solid handling and did well to snatch numerous corners and crosses into the box away from danger with relative ease.

Zola and Clayton Donaldson were the big threats for the hosts, causing Pools problems with their movement and speed in getting the ball forward.

Sam Collins did well to block a Donladson shot from a dangerous position inside the box, while Budtz got up to hold a Billy Jones free kick.

At the other end, Pools' front pairing of Parker and Nardiello were left to fight for possession as the majority of balls forward came from long clearances out of defence.

The best chance of the first half for Turner's men came when Ritchie Jones lifted a left-wing corner into the box and Michael Nelson popped up to head at goal - only to be denied by the otherwide untested John Ruddy.

Jan Budtz made an important save with the last chance of the first half; the big keeper got down well to spill Marlon Broomes' headed effort round the post just as the referee blew for the break.

Pools had a good chance straight from the off in the second half; a great ball down the left from Collins found Monkhouse in space on the wing. Some good work by the winger saw a testing ball whipped into the area only for Billy Jones to power over the bar under pressure from namesake Ritchie.

There was a bit more bite to this game in the second period, with a better tempo on show and both sides offering more going forward.

John Brayford saw his shot across goal go wide of the far post, while the same player just edged past Joe Skarz on the right to fire in dangerously across goal - but again, the ball scraped just wide of the post.

Budtz put in another block to deny the hosts from taking the lead; Clayton Donaldson struck an effort in from the edge of the area but once again the Pools' keeper was alert and got down well to put the ball wide of target.

Although it was the hosts who remained on top for much of the second period, Pools looked brighter going forward in this half, with Jones and Monkhouse working well down the flanks and Nardiello and Parker more involved in proceedings.

All that was missing was that crucial final ball to give Pools the edge in what was a tense game.

Turner's men worked hardest at the back to keep an increasingly frustrated Crewe at bay; the hosts were made to do more running to snatch possession and kept out by a defence marshalled well by the keeper.

Budtz was hero again for Pools when he got down well to block from Clayton Donaldson who tried another punt from the edge of the box but the Danish stopper showed good reactions to deny the Crewe man with a low block.

Both Nelson and Collins reacted well to clear the resulting corner kick as the hosts threw everything at the Pools' rearguard. Gary Liddle also enjoyed his best game so far at right back, looking composed and dominant in the role.  

Good work at the other end by Sweeney saw Pools win a corner kick - Jones' ball in eventually found Nelson in position and the big defender fired in low on goal only to see his effort deflected wide of target.

The following corner saw desperation in the Crewe box as Pools tried everything to hit target - Nardiello and sub Michael Mackay both seeing close-range efforts cleared off the line before Ruddy got down bravely to snatch possession.

As Pools' continued to thwart the hosts, the Crewe fans inside The Alexandra Stadium became increasingly vocal in their frustration.

Ritchie Humphreys was introduced late in the game to steady the ship for Pools and was thrown up front - a return to days of old for the former Sheffield Wednesday man.

There was late drama as the hosts pushed on right to the end and, after Michael Nelson had twice jumped highest to clear corners into the box, Sam Collins put in a desperate last-ditch challenge to deny Gylfi Sigurdsson from hitting a last-minute winner.

A scramble ensued from the resulting corner kick but Pools eventually cleared to take a valuable point from this battling clash.

Att: 4477 (388 Pools)

Pools: Budtz, Liddle, Nelson, Collins, Skarz, Jones, Clark, Sweeney, Monkhouse, Parker (Mackay 73), Nardiello (Humphreys 88)
Subs Not Used: Lee-Barrett, McCunnie, Robson

Crewe Alexandra: Ruddy, Woodards, jones, Baudet (Grant 74), Zola (Pope 67), Donaldson, McManus (Moore 50), Brayford, Lawrence, Broomes, Sigurdsson
Subs Not Used: Collis, Bailey