Pools lost out 2-1 in a tight game with Charlton Athletic at The Valley this evening.
It was a battling and determined performance from Chris Turner's men which saw them push Charlton all the way but on the night it was not to be and Pools left London with a 2-1 defeat.
The players though can take encouragement from this display as they played some good football, dominated for spells and made Charlton fight hard for the points.
The first half here at The Valley was pretty much an even affair in terms of possession, as Pools went out to restore some of the reputation lost in Saturday's 5-0 defeat to MK Dons.
And Turner's men looked bright and determined in this opening half - Andy Monkhouse instrumental down the left wing, involved in most of the forward play for Pools.
The tricky winger got involved at the other end early in the game when he went in bravely to block a Frazer Richardson ball from meeting its target inside the area.
Sam Collins, restored to the team after missing out on Saturday through illness, brought his calming influence to the back line as he shielded the ball out of the path of the busy Deon Burton as the Charlton striker looked to hit home early on.
Pools enjoyed more pressure inside the first fifteen minutes here at The Valley than they did in the entire game on Saturday.
Andy Monkhouse whipped a teasing ball in at goal after receiving possession from Denis Behan but his effort found only the arms of Robert Elliot.
Pools put a good passage of play together in the twelfth minute, with a nice string of passes leading up to another goalwards blast from Monkhouse - this time though the ball was defected wide for a corner.
The audible frustration from the home fans inside the first twenty minutes here at The Valley was testament to Pools dogged display.
The first real chance of the game for the hosts arrived on 24 minutes when the tricky Lloyd Sam did very well to carve out space for himself on the left wing before crossing deep into the area where Jonjo Shelvey headed at goal only to see his effort rise over the bar.
Monkhouse, who seemed on a personal mission this evening, burst forward from just inside his won half to bustle his way past two Charlton men and fire on goal - Elliot caught the ball but Pools were showing character this evening.
This character was going to be tested though as, with thirty minutes on the clock, good work down the left from Grant Basey paid off when his final delivery was met be David Mooney and the Charlton striker sent a header bouncing past Flinders and into the back of the net.
While Saturday's defeat could have weighed heavily for the players, they continued to battle hard and pushed Charlton all the way.
AM on a mission - burst through from just inside halfway line, bustled past couple of players before uneashing on goal - keeper rose to catch
A Ritchie Humphreys effort just before the break went closest for Pools but the midfielder's punt from inside the area was well saved by Elliot down to his right.
Pools continued the battle after the break and, with just four minutes of the second half having been played, they were level.
Denis Behan fed the ball into the area for Antony Sweeney who was clearly tripped by Christian Dailly right in front of the official who immediately pointed to the spot for Pools' first penalty of the current campaign.
Behan confidently stepped up to take the kick, smashing the ball centrally at goal and, although Elliot touched the ball with his feet, it only served to deflect the ball high into the net to make it 1-1.
The hosts, spurred on by a vocal crowd, upped the pressure on Pools after the goal - with the league's top spot in their sights, they were intent on the win.
Goalscorer Mooney tried his luck at a second when he ran in from the right to fire in on goal but his ball flew across the face of goal and was dealt with.
Shelvey was next to really threaten when he hit a stunning effort from the edge of the area - fortunately the woodwork came to the rescue for Pools as the ball crashed against the post and went out of play.
And, while Pools were forced to defend in numbers in the later period of the game, there were still promising passages of play when Turner's men broke forward themselves.
Nicky Bailey turned to fire in from the edge of the box with his strike scraping just wide of Flinders' right hand post.
Unfortunately Pools were not to be so lucky with Charlton's next attack as the hosts hit home the winner.
The ball was played forward for Scott Wagstaff who sent a rocket shot from outside the area screaming through the box and into the bottom right corner of Flinders' net - despite the best efforts of the Pools stopper.
The hosts' second goal took the wind out of Pools' sails for a few minutes as their hard work and effort took another blow.
Charlton had the ball in the back of the net once again in the 90th minute but the effort was ruled out just seconds before play was interrupted by a streaker.
The five minutes of additional play was dominated by Pools as they looked to snatch an equaliser but it was not to be and Charlton held on for the win.
Pools: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Liddle, Haslam, Larkin, Sweeney, Gamble, Humphreys (Jones 81), Monkhouse, Behan (Boyd 76)
Subs Not Used: Cook, Clark, Fredriksen, McSweeney, Bjornsson
Charlton Athletic: Elliot, Richardson, Bailey, llera, Semedo, Shelvey McKenzie 69), Burton, Sam (Wagstaff 75), Basey, Mooney (Dickson 75), Dailly
Subs Not Used: Randolph, Spring, Solly, Omozusi
