Hartlepool United fell to 2-0 defeat against Yeovil Town in Nicky Featherstone’s first game as permanent manager, putting a seven-game Enterprise National League unbeaten run to an end.
Just before the quarter-hour mark, Aaron Jarvis scored the opener for the Glovers, before Luke McCormick doubled the visitors’ lead deep into injury time.
Following back-to-back victories against Truro City and Eastleigh respectively, Featherstone named an unchanged lineup for the clash at the Prestige Group Stadium.
After a brilliant block by Jay Benn to stop McCormick’s strike 11 minutes in, Pools attacked; Adam Campbell’s audacious first-time pass found Matty Daly, who cut inside and forced a solid save from Jed Ward.
On 14 minutes, though, Yeovil took the lead. McCormick drove down the left flank and cut back for Jarvis to coolly guide home from inside the hosts’ penalty area.
As the half progressed, the game became stretched, with George Evans producing a great save at his near post to deny McCormick in the 27th minute.
A minute later, Pools almost gained a foothold back in the match when Jamie Miley won the ball back at the edge of Yeovil’s box, allowing Daly to slide through Alex Reid – but the linesman’s flag was raised.
Shortly after, Jarvis’s headed ball met an unmarked McCormick in the Pools box, who fired off the post.
Despite Yeovil’s pressure, a positive end to the half for Featherstone’s side was almost rewarded with an equaliser; Daly’s effort drifted wide of the bottom right corner, before Miley was inches away from tapping home Jay Benn’s fizzing delivery.
Pools started brightly in the second period, with Daly’s half-volley from distance troubling Ward, while Tom Parkes’ saw his header soar narrowly wide of the right corner.
On 62 minutes, Yeovil threatened on the counterattack as James Daly drove through the centre of the park and got a shot off; however, Evans expertly parried away with his right glove.
Pools enjoyed plenty of possession as the game came to a close, but struggled to find a breakthrough to unlock the Glovers’ backline.
On 94 minutes, Yeovil put the game to bed – McCormick capped off strong play down the hosts’ left side with a neat finish wrapped into the bottom-right corner.
Pools: Evans, Benn, John, Parkes © (Topallaj 73′), Kouogun, Campbell, Sheron (Johnson 73′), Hunter (Francis 54′), Miley, Reid, Daly (Brown 62′)
Unused subs: Smith, Ferguson, Aungiers
