Hartlepool United suffered a 2-1 Boxing Day defeat against Scunthorpe United at the Prestige Group Stadium in the Enterprise National League.
A second-half brace from Callum Roberts gave the visitors a two-goal advantage, before Matty Daly pulled a goal back for the home side with just over ten minutes of normal time to play.
A bright opening from Pools saw two chances fall the way of the hosts; Campbell’s acrobatic effort looped just over the bar two minutes in, while Jay Benn’s teasing cross was nearly fired goalward from a tight angle by Alex Reid.
On 20 minutes, a slick piece of skill from Ashley Nathaniel-George released Cameron John down the left-hand side, whose cross was parried away by Rory Mahady.
At the half-hour mark, Scunthorpe threatened when Oliver Ewing arrowed a powerful strike towards goal, which was bravely blocked by the head of Tom Parkes.
As the game headed towards the break, Daniel Whitehall met Tyrell Sellars-Fleming’s cross with a close-range header, forcing Evans into a stellar reaction stop to tip onto the crossbar.
The Iron started the second period the stronger side and were rewarded in the 49th minute – after Roberts brought down by John inside the box, the referee pointed to the spot. Roberts stepped up to take the penalty; clinically placing home into the left corner.
Pools struggled to break down Scunthorpe’s defence and, with the clock on 70 minutes, the visitors doubled their lead. Roberts intercepted a miscued Pools pass and drove through the centre of the park, before clinically firing home into the bottom-right corner.
Despite the setback, Pools halved the deficit in the 78th minute. Positive play from Luke Charman just inside the Iron box led the ball to Daly, who coolly slotted home into the bottom-right corner.
The hosts applied pressure as the game came to a close, but couldn’t find an equaliser to claim a point in Hartlepool.
Pools: Evans, Benn (Johnson 89’), John, Parkes (c), Kouogun, Campbell, Sheron, Hunter (Daly 65’), Miley, Reid, Nathaniel-George (Charman 53’)
Unused subs: Smith, Ferguson, Darcy, Brown
Goal: Daly (78’)
Attendance: 4434
