Antony Sweeney struck home in extra time this afternoon to make it 2-2 and earn his side a big point against Leeds United.
With the visitors having dominated much of the first period, Pools came back into things in the second half, enjoying a good spell of pressure and drawing level through Adam Boyd.
Luciano Becchio though grabbed a close-range goal for Leeds with 78 minutes on the clock but Pools would not be beaten and Sweeney headed in from two yards in added on time to make it 2-2, sending the Pools bench onto the pitch in celebration.
The first half here at The Vic was fast paced, with Pools doing just as Chris Turner had promised and taking the game to visitors Leeds United.
Pools put an early move together, with Andy Monkhouse and Adam Boyd playing a flowing spell of football down the left wing but Leeds dealt with the early threat to push on themselves.
There was confusion at the back for Pools when Luciano Becchio pushed through into the box and almost squeezed an effort under the combination of Collins and Flinders but with Howson picking up the loose ball, he pushed his effort wide.
Minutes later and Flinders pulled off a great save to deny Becchio from hitting the opener; a strong header at goal from the Leeds front man looked set to open the scoring until the Pools stopper got his finger tips to the ball to tip it onto the bar and back into play.
A close call for Pools, who were enjoying their fair share of possession without really testing Ankergren.
Andy Monkhouse was at the heart of most things for Pools, with the winger providing the biggest threat for much of the first half.
There was a good chance for Pools just after the twenty minute mark when Monkhouse did well to win a header deep inside his own half which set Colin Larkin off running down the left - he fed strike partner Boyd with a precise cross, allowing Boyd to pick his spot and shoot at goal. Unfortunately his attempt on goal rose over the bar and the in-running Sweeney was left frustrated with his calls for the ball.
No sooner had this chance passed and the visitors took the lead; Michael Doyle picked up a loose ball in midfield to pass it out wide to Jermaine Beckford.
The big striker turned provider for his strike partner as he put a cross in from the right onto the head of Becchio and the Argentinean was allowed to head home.
While Leeds continued to press forward, looking to capitalise on their opener, Pools did not stop battling and there was a chance the level when Monkhouse pushed the ball wide right for Austin who lifted it back into the box for the left winger to try his luck with a head on goal but Ankergren collected.
Late in the first half and Becchio came close to grabbing his second of the afternoon; a corner on the stroke of half time caused a melee inside the area which Becchio found himself at the end of and fired in a header on goal.
Fortunately Flinders came out on top of this battle as he again got enough of a touch on the ball to send it wide of target.
And so Pools went into the second half with a one-goal deficit to overturn - with both teams making a change to their forward line at the break. Denis Behan joined the action for Pools in place of Colin Larkin while Leeds United swapped Jermaine Beckford for Robert Snodgrass.
It was a substitution made just after half time though that looked to have the most impact on the game as Ritchie Jones was introduced to the action - a move coinciding with a good spell of pressure for Turner's men.
Jones used his pace to Pools' advantage on numerous occasions to create pressure at the right end for Turner's side.
The energetic midfielder tried his luck twice with efforts from distance - both going wide of target but giving Leeds United work to do at the back.
A ball from Joe Gamble out to Peter Hartley on the left set up a great chance for Pools as Hartley sent a powerful low drive into a crowded area. Boyd picked up the ball on the spot to turn and fire a snapshot at goal but Ankergren reacted impressively to turn the shot around the post.
With Jones sparking Pools back into life, there was another good effort on goal which again involved the midfielder.
Jones played a short corner on the left with Denis Behan, picking possession back up to send a rocket shot at goal which was deflected narrowly wide of the far post.
And, with Pools continuing to enjoy a good spell of pressure, they were rewarded with a deserved equaliser.
Determination from Hartley down the left saw the full back push into the final third to lay the ball into the box for Sweeney who cushioned it into the path of Boyd.
And the Pools striker showed why his recall was deserved as he fired in an unstoppable volley from 20 yards that flew into the back of the net.
Pools came close to taking the lead just moments later when Andy Monkhouse fired in with pace from a tight angle after good build-up play, only to see his effort scrape wide of target.
Despite good pressure from Pools at the right end and dogged defending at the other - the visitors took the lead once again in the 78th minute.
A Gary McSheffrey freekick from just outside the area was well saved by Flinders and the ball went out for a corner kick.
The resulting corner though caused problems for Pools and with a loose ball in the area bouncing through to Becchio who poked home from close range after the ball had bounced cruelly off the bar.
Pools again continued to press in the hope of getting something from the game; a Denis Behan freekick knocked Lubomir Michalik to the ground but failed to find the net while a good turn and shot by Boyd inside the box was collected by Ankergren.
There were big appeals for handball by Pools late in the game as a Monkhouse header was blocked in the box but the referee ignored the calls.
When Pools won a freekick in added on time, it was the last throw of the dice for Turner's men and they made sure it counted.
Ritchie Jones sent an in-swinging ball into the box which caused problems for Leeds and was flicked on by Boyd to Sweeney, who popped up at the far post to power a header over the line from close range.
With both fans, players and management celebrating wildly, the importance of the leveller was evident and Pools took a well-earned point from Leeds at the death.
Turner's men now face a blank weekend next week before the visit of Huddersfield Town to The Vic on February 20th.
Att: 5115 (963 Leeds)
Pools: Flinders, Austin, Collins, Liddle, Hartley, Sweeney, Gamble, Humphreys (Jones 58), Monkhouse, Larkin (Behan 46), Boyd
Subs Not Used: Cook, Clark, Fredriksen, McSweeney, Bjornsson
Leeds United: Ankergren, Lowry, Michalik, Naylor, Bromby, McSheffrey (Johnson 86), Doyle, Howson, Gradel, Becchio, Beckford (Snodgrass 46)
Subs Not Used: Martin, Crowe, Grella, Hughes, White
