Hartlepool United suffered a 3-1 defeat against Worthing at Victoria Park in the Enterprise National League.
Cory Adjetey-Brew’s first-half finish was followed by a Ricky Aguiar goal around the hour mark. Will Harris halved the deficit with just over ten minutes of normal time to play, but Jose Marquez found the Rebels’ third in injury time.
Lee Clark made one change going into the clash against the West Sussex side, as Cam John replaced captain Jack Hunter in the starting lineup, who was suspended after receiving a red card against Altrincham in midweek.
Pools threatened with the first chance of the game on 11 minutes, when Reiss McNally’s cross found Harris, whose header was parried away by Taylor Seymour.
Around the half-hour mark, Jack Nolan stung the gloves of Seymour from outside the box, before Fisher reacted quickly to deny Charley Kendall’s lobbed effort a minute later.
With ten minutes of the half to play, the Rebels took the lead when Ricky Aguiar’s cross was met by a Cory Adjetey-Brew header into the bottom-right corner.
Pools came so close to finding the equaliser on 58 minutes; Harris held up the ball inside the box before rattling the crossbar with a powerful strike on the swivel.
Worthing doubled their advantage a minute later, as Razzaq Coleman De-Graft’s blocked shot fell to Aguiar, who volleyed home past Fisher.
Harris pulled one back for the hosts inside the final 15 minutes, pouncing on a loose touch from Seymour to fire into an empty net.
Worthing regained their two-goal cushion in added time when Marquez glanced his header beyond Fisher and into his left corner.
Pools return to National League action next Saturday, facing Scunthorpe United at the Attis Arena.
HUFC XI: Fisher, Benn, John, McNally ©, Ilunga (Hugill 71’), Miley, Harris, Sheron (Popov 71’), Nolan (Thornton 63’), Gibson (Penman 36’), Deeming (Bondo 71’).
Unused subs: Smith, Darcy.
