The game got off to a slow start and there were no real chances inside the first fifteen minutes of play.

With both sides playing long balls and failing to really pick out their own men, it took a while for the game to get kick started.

The first main chance of the game fell to Michael Mackay at the front post. Matty Robson dug out a lovely cross from the left hand side and put it in towards goal where Mackay ran across his man but his glancing header was just wide of the post.

Sheffield Wednesday responded at the other end when Todd Wood picked up the ball to fire a low shot at goal but Arran Lee-Barrett got down comfortably to his left to save.

Matty Robson fired one in for Pools from just outside the area which went just wide while Michael Rae spurned a great chance after a clever through ball from Jonny Rowell was squared into his path by Mackay, only for him to slot it just wide of the post.

The only goal of the first half arrived when Kenny Lunt charged into the left side of the penalty area and calmly delivered a low ball across to team mate Luke Boden who had no problems firing home into the net.

While Pools enjoyed the mammoth share of possession in the second half, they struggled to find anything to hurt Sheffield Wednesday in the final third.

A Stephen Turnbull shot over the bar was all Pools mustered inside the first twenty second-half minutes before suddenly breaking through a score out of nothing.

Michael Rae muscled his way past full back Liam Benjamin and drove into the area only to see his shot blocked brilliantly by the keeper.

However, the defence struggled to clear and when it bobbled six yards out to Michael Mackay and his powerful show was somehow blocked on the line before Rae got their first to nod home.

With the visitors coming out of their shell following the equaliser, the game could have swung either way but perhaps the best chance to win the game fell to Mackay whose energetic run broke the offside trap but when he cut inside, he blazed his shot across goal and wide of target.

After that, chances were few and far between, with the final pass lacking for both sides and the game finished 1-1.

Pools 1 Sheffield Wednesday 1

Pools: Lee-Barrett, McCunnie (Haigh 63), Gott, Tait, Robson (Tymon 82), Young, Turnbull, Rowell, Monkhouse, Rae, Mackay

Subs Not Used: Proudlock, Ellison, Ruddy