Pools shared the spoils with Exeter City in this big League One clash at The Vic this afternoon.
After the Grecians took a first-half lead, Chris Turner's men dominated the second half, levelling through Denis Behan but there was no decider and the game finished 1-1.
The first here at The Vic was a scrappy one with so much potentially at stake for both teams and both sets of players on edge, keen to avoid errors.
There was little to really inspire from either team in the early exchanges, with neither keeper playing a significant role.
Exeter went close first when Ryan Harley smashed a freekick from 25 yards which scraped just wide of Flinders' right hand post.
While Roy O'Donovan and James Brown were busy up front, balls up to the pair were more hopeful than precise and they had little to work with.
Harley tried again for Exeter with another freekick - this time from closer range but Flinders was more than equal to the effort.
Pools did show a little glimpse when a lovely turn from Joe Gamble in the middle of the field saw the ball played off nicely to O'Donovan who in turn fed it through for Andy Monkhouse. The left winger than showed determination to push on into the box only to be closed down and the ball cleared out of danger.
Monkhouse fed O'Donovan with a perfectly-weighted ball over the top and, with the striker having beaten the offside trap, there was a good chance for Pools but O'Donovan's final ball from a tight angle was cleared.
Ritchie Humphreys tried his luck with a solid side-footed effort from the edge of the box after a Gamble corner kick but Humphreys' strike was blocked by Harley on the post.
But just as Pools looked to be upping their pressure, the blow was dealt in the 38th minute as Exeter City grabbed the lead; a Harley corner from the right sailed across to the far side of the box where Matt Taylor was allowed to rise and head home past Gamble on the post and into the roof of the net.
And, with Turner's men failing to find a route through to goal ahead of the break, Pools had everything to do in the second half.
Andy Monkhouse went on an early surging run down the left wing before sending a great cross into the box where Leon McSweeney threw himself at the target but the ball was nicked clear by the Grecians.
Poor defending by Exeter under pressure from James Brown allowed McSweeney to burst through between the defenders and push a ball goalwards - but with Paul Jones pulled off his line, McSweeney's low effort struck the post and went out of play.
And that was the last of the action for Leon McSweeney who looked to have taken a knock to his hip in the move and could not continue - Denis Behan replaced him.
Pools enjoyed a strong spell of possession just after the hour mark, as Exeter struggled to get a touch on the ball but the visitors had everyone sitting deep and left Turner's men frustrated.
It was all Pools as Paul Tisdale's men continued to camp deep in their own half and put everyone between Pools and the target.
Exeter's game was a frustrating one for Turner's men who, for all of their possession, could find no way through to the final third to push on for that all-important equaliser.
And having stifled Pools for the majority of the second half, Exeter became more adventurous, knowing a second goal will all but kill off the game.
And Matt Taylor went close to grabbing a second goal when he met a freekick from the left to head low on goal but fortunately his effort went just wide of target.
There was goalmouth action for Pools as a Ritchie Humphreys sent a well-placed corner kick into the area - Gary Liddle arrived to poke it at goal only to see his effort blocked on the line. O'Donovan then sent the ball over the line but the increasingly unpredictable referee ruled the effort out, citing a push by the Irish striker on the defender.
The ball was soon in the back of the net once again in the 81st minute and this time the goal stood; great work by Adam Boyd saw the striker jink his way into the box before sending a teasing ball into the box which Denis Behan used his strength to get to and force over the line, sending The Vic into raptures.
And Pools kept on plugging away, the introduction of both Sweeney and Boyd having made an obvious difference and lifted the side.
With the points this afternoon meaning just as much to the visitors as to the hosts, the closing minutes here were tense.
O'Donovan sent a curling shot at goal from the right side of the box after a good firs touch by the striker but his effort went wide of Jones' goal.
And so the game finished at 1-1with neither team able to find that crucial third goal this afternoon to seal what would have been a vital victory.
Att: 3983 (464 Exeter City)
Pools: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Liddle, Hartley, McSweeney (Behan 57), Gamble (Sweeney 76), Humphreys, Monkhouse, O'Donovan, Brown (Boyd 76)
Subs Not Used: Cook, Clark, Haslam, Jones
Exeter City: Jones, Friend, Duffy, M Taylor, Edwards (Fleetwood 87), Harley, Dunne, Sercombe, Logan (Stewart 84), R Taylor (Corr 84)
Subs Not Used: Marriott, Goldbourne, Cozic, Burnell
