Pools Youth Team secured a hugely impressive victory in the FA Youth Cup by beating Premier League Academy side Sheffield United at Victoria Park.
Micky Barron's men put in a gritty and determined display against their Yorkshire counterparts as they battled their way to a surprise 2-1 win.
The game started quite evenly but Pools had their noses in front when Chay Liddle drove from midfield and scored with the first shot in anger - a nice angled finish across the keeper from the edge of the box after a dangerous run.
The visitors responded well and Jordan Slew jinked in to space but saw his shot fly over, while Corey Gregory had a shot well turned over by Pools keeper Grant Herbert.
There was a big let-off when Blades defender Harry Maquire was allowed a free run from a corner but his header went wide of the target despite the attempts of two visiting strikers at the back post.
The equaliser did arrive just short of the half hour mark though when the dangerous and pacey Nathaniel Foster burst in behind the Pools defence and rifled an unstoppable shot past Herbert.
From then until the break Pools were pushed on to the back foot Foster twice came close to scoring second before setting up strike partner Slew who should have done better from six yards.
Sheffield United started the second half at a very high tempo but it was Pools who created the early chances; the impressive Billy Blackford firing over from a deep cross.
And Barron's men got the reward their industry deserved just prior to the hour mark when a free-kick on the edge of the box deflected dangerously in to the six-yard area and Tom Marron threw himself bravely in to the crowd to head home.
At the other end, Herbert produced a brilliant save to deny Foster and also frustrated Slew, who turned sharply to fire on goal from the edge of the box.
Daniel Johnson came very close to extending Pools lead from a free-kick on the edge of the box but Blades keeper Adam Billard did well to tip it round the post.
Substitute Steven Snaith came close with a header after good work by Blackford, and then Blackford himself saw another shot of his own fly over.
As time ticked by the nerves grew but the Pools players seem to get more determined by the minute - even so, Slew's powerful drive from the edge of the box had hearts in mouths at it grazed the post.
And you got the feeling that it would be Pools night when both Slew and Foster were both denied in a ludicrous and tense eight minutes of injury time somehow allowed by the referee.
But it was all the sweeter when the final whistle did eventually arrive and Barron's battling youngsters had produced a wonderful performance in their biggest test of the season.
They'll be fancying their chances whoever comes out of the hat in Round Four.
Full Time: Pools 2 Sheffield United 1
Pools: Herbert, Purvis, Dukes (Pearson 70), Marron, P Johnson, Mellish, Martin, Liddle, D Johnson (Dodds 91), Richards (Snaith 55), Blackford.
Subs not used: Wilson, Selby.
Sheffield United: Billard, Brown, Roe, James, Maquire, Darlow, Gregory (Lammy 76), Murray, Slew, Foster, Chappell (McDadzean 63).
Subs not used: Williams, Andrew, Kennedy.
