Pools were knocked out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy this evening by Grimsby Town who snatched two first-half goals that left Chris Turner's men with a mountain to climb.
It was Pools who dominated in terms of possession and chances on goal but unfortunately the visitors took the advantage that matters - leaving The Vic with a 2-0 victory.
Pools started brightly this evening and went close within the opening four minutes of action to opening the scoring; Colin Larkin fed the ball through for Andy Monkhouse to run on to and the pacy winger pinged a great ball across the area where Leon McSweeney arrived to challenge on goal. Unfortunately the right winger was just beaten in the air and the danger was cleared.
Two minutes later though and Pools were on the back foot as Grimsby snatched an opener.
After an initial mix-up which say Town's Danny Boshell booked, Peter Sweeney stepped up to take a freekick 20 yards out on goal and hit a beautiful effort that sailed over the wall and into the top right hand corner of Flinders' net.
The early set-back did not knock Turner's men off track and they continued to push forward on goal - now in search of an equaliser.
With both Monkhouse and McSweeney in lively form, Neil Austin looking busy from his left back position and Jonny Rowell looking to make his mark in the middle, Pools did create the openings - unfortunately that killer touch was just missing to hit home.
Rowell lifted a great ball in from the by-line which forced Nick Colgan to react as the experienced keeper had to rise well to tip the ball over the bar.
Good build-up play from McSweeney and Bjornsson down the right saw the ball poked through for Rowell but the midfielder's low drive through a crowded box found only the arms of Colgan.
A good ball in from McSweeney on the right wing found Gary Liddle rising highest in the box but his glancing header was deflected wide of target.
Just after the half hour mark and Pools were dealt a further blow when the visitors hit their second goal of the game.
With Andy Monkhouse looking to have been fouled on the edge of the Grimsby area, the referee allowed play to continue and Newell's men lifted a long ball forward that saw Adam Proudlock break forward, beating the offside trap.
Proudlock ran in on goal and, with Flinders coming out to narrow the angle, the Town striker lifted the ball over the Pools keeper and into the back of the net.
The second goal came completely out of the blue and much against the run of play but Grimsby's patience in holding Pools at bay seemed to have paid off so far.
There were chances for Rowell and Armann Bjornsson to grab a goal back for Turner's men before the break but both were denied by Colgan and Pools had a two-goal deficit to overturn if they were to progress in this competition.
And Pools continued where they left off in the second half in terms of pressure as Leon McSweeney pulled a good block out of Colgan at the near post.
Sam Collins got in a crucial block at the other end to deny Nathan Jarman from firing in on goal as Grimsby made a rare foray forward.
Pools looked set to draw one back after Humphreys set Monkhouse free running in from the left wing and his ball into the box caused problems for the Grimsby defence, eventually finding McSweeney just in front of goal but his effort was from an awkward angle and rose high over the bar.
Chris Turner introduced Denis Behan and Adam Boyd to the action just after the hour mark and the latter nearly made an early impact when he first in a thunder strike from distance, which Colgan just got his fingertips to as it smashed the crossbar and went out of play.
With time ticking by, it was important Pools kept up their momentum if there was to be anything other than a Grimsby victory here this evening.
Andy Monkhouse did well to set up Denis Behan in the 78th minute as he poked through a good ball for the Irish striker but as Behan took the ball on his chest before firing on goal, the effort went wide of the post and Pools still had work to do.
With just ten minutes left in the game, Danny Boshell was shown his second yellow card of the game when he fouled Behan on the edge of the area but Pools failed to capitalise from the resulting freekick as Collins' powerful header went just over the bar.
And as time ticked away, so did the belief that Pools could find a way back into this clash. Despite late chances for Behan, who saw his freekick smash into the Town End before a headed effort was deflected wide, there was to be no way through this evening.
So Pools are out of the Johnstone's Paint Trophy but the players must move on from this disappointment quickly as Brentford visit The Vic on Friday night in League One action.
Att: 1675 (63 Grimsby Town)
Pools: Flinders, Haslam, Collins, Liddle, Austin, McSweeney (Behan 63) , Rowell, Humphreys, Monkhouse, Larkin, Bjornsson (Boyd 63)
Subs Not Used: Cook, Jones, Fredriksen
Grimsby Town: Colgan, Widdowson, Bennett, Atkinson, Wood, Sweeney, Boshell, Fuller (Akpa Akpro 31), Forbes, Proudlock (Leary 83), Jarman (Clarke 77)
Subs Not Used: Overton, North
