Pools lost out 1-0 in a tight game with Millwall this afternoon.
The hosts took the lead inside the first ten minutes of play here at The New Den and, despite a strong second-half display, Chris Turner's men could find no reply and the Lions held on for all three points.
The dangerous Neil Harris won a freekick for his team in the ninth minute just to the left of the 18 yard area when he was nudged by Sam Collins - just one of many challenges between the pair this afternoon.
Harris took the freekick himself, sending his effort through the defensive wall and into the bottom left corner of Scott Flinders' net, giving the busy forward his 17th goal of the current campaign.
The goal lifted the hosts who looked a threat going forward; Neil Harris a big danger man for Millwall, barely giving Sam Collins a moment's rest at the back.
At the other end, Pools continued to chip away at Millwall and when Roy O'Donovan fed the ball to Colin Larkin inside the box, it set up a great chance for the equaliser.
Larkin turned well to play the ball on for the arriving Antony Sweeney but his powerful strike from 18 yards should have done more to test David Forde, instead it found the arms of the keeper.
Scott Flinders pulled off a great save as play moved up field; after good work by Chris Hackett down the right, the winger was allowed the space to cross into the box where Steve Morison sent a header at goal which was blocked well by the Pools' stopper.
Despite pressure at the back, Pools continued to create openings and another Larkin ball from the left pulled a great defensive clearance out of Alan Dunne.
Joe Gamble sent the resulting corner long into the box, where Sam Collins caused a problem at the far post only to see his header go wide of target.
Millwall suffered at the hands of their own pitch mid-way through the half when Harris directed a great header into the path of strike partner Morison but as the striker wound up to send his shot at goal, he tripped on the uneven surface and sent the ball out of play.
The pitch here this afternoon played its part - the surface consisted more of sand than grass in large parts and cut up badly as the game progressed.
In shades of the Huddersfield Town game, the referee brought an abrupt end to a good move for Millwall.
With Gary Liddle having tussled with Morison down the right wing, the Millwall man sent a great ball for Harris to run on to but the referee pulled play up for the challenge and a strong chance for the hosts went begging - much to the annoyance of the vocal crowd here at The New Den.
Pools went in one goal down at half time but showed enough going forward to suggest there could be more to come after the break.
Chris Turner made two changes going into the second half to try and find the breakthrough as Denis Behan replaced Adam Boyd up front and Ritchie Humphreys came on for Colin Larkin on the left wing.
There was an early chance for Millwall to double their lead as Morison pushed in from the right but his final touch sent the ball crashing into the side netting.
Pools themselves came desperately close to scoring when Behan sent a ball stinging right across the face of goal but Ritchie Jones arrived just a fraction of a second too late and the chance passed.
As the tempo of the game lifted, Neil Harris sent a header from close range just over the bar, while Flinders pulled off a great save to deny Hackett from a well-taken freekick.
The following corner kick caused problems for Pools as it was headed back into the danger area at the far post; Morison saw his headed effort smash the crossbar before Harris sent the ball high over the bar.
Denis Behan picked up the ball in a great position after determined work from Sweeney but the Irish front man could not correct his stance quick enough and he sent the ball well wide of target.
Pools did create more openings in this second half as Jones began to enjoy more possession down the right but there were few real chances to trouble Forde.
At the opposite end, Neil Harris looked set to put the game out of reach when he picked up a ball six yards out on goal but the striker sent his effort over the top of Flinders' goal.
Flinders pulled off a brave block as he threw himself at the feet on the in-running Jimmy Abdou to snatch the ball while Forde pulled off a great stop to deny Pools as Ritchie Jones saw his headed effort tipped over the bar.
With Pools throwing everything at Millwall in the closing minutes, there was a tense finish to the game, something not lost on the home fans who upped the volume inside The New Den.
Sam Collins put in a number of brave blocks inside the area to deny Harris from adding a second as Pools held on to the possibility of a late equaliser with some big pressure on the hosts.
A good ball from Humphreys on the left into the box saw James Brown just beaten to the ball by the head of a defender, while Roy O'Donovan found only the hands of Forde with his cross into the box.
Denis Behan received a ball deep into the final third, catching the Millwall defence out but despite sending a teasing ball across the face of goal, Jones arrived just too late to tap home.
The fact that the four minutes of added on time was met with jeers by the home fans highlighted the pressure Pools were putting Millwall under.
A corner inside these four minutes presented Pools with the best chance they had to equalise but while Jones' ball found Brown, he couldn't find the space to shoot and the ball fell loose to Gamble on the edge of the area - unfortunately he sent the ball high over the bar.
Despite a determined display and some promising play, Pools found no reply for Millwall and Chris Turner's men left the capital on the back of a narrow 1-0 defeat.
Att: 10, 818 (174 Pools)
Pools: Flinders, Austin, Liddle, Collins, Hartley, Jones, Sweeney (Brown), Gamble, Larkin (Humphreys 46), Boyd (Behan 46), Donovan
Subs: Cook, McSweeney, Fredriksen, Bjornsson
Millwall: Forde, Dunne, Robinson, Schofield (Batt), Harris (Barron), Hackett, Craig, Ward, Morison, Abdou, Trotter
Subs: Sullivan, Frampton, Smith, Fuseini, Obika
