Hartlepool United fought to the finish at the Shay but they could not prevent a 2-1 defeat at Halifax Town.

Max Wright gave the hosts a 34th minute lead with a low shot but Mani Dieseruvwe fired home a swift equaliser against his former employers as Pools scored from a corner for the second successive game.

An early Halifax barrage after the interval brought a second home goal from Adam Senior and despite a strong late push by Pools, they could not get past Sam Johnson between the Town sticks.

John Askey made two changes to the side which fell to defeat at Aldershot on Saturday. It was no shock to see new loan signing Joe Mattock come in for an immediate debut following the injury to Zak Johnson. With bags of experience and expertise, the Harrogate Town man linked up with Alex Lacey and Luke Hendrie in defence.

Hendrie’s return to a central position meant Manny Onariase dropped down to the bench with Charlie Seaman handed a return at right wing-back.

Pools settled the quicker and posed an early threat through a great jinking run forward by Grey but his shot did not match the approach work and the ball ended up on the empty terrace behind the home goal.

But it would be the Shaymen who began applying considerable pressure.

There was a fine diving save by Jameson to his left from Milli Alli’s shot after the home forward was given too much freedom to turn and shoot in the area.

Jameson was required twice to keep out low shots from Florent Hoti and Aaron Cosgrave as Town won a series of corners.

And it was following one of those that they took a 34th minute lead when Wright’s low shot squeezed in inside Jameson’s left stick from 15 yards.

Unlike Saturday, when Pools conceded from the re-start, they gave themselves a chance to equalise only to see David Ferguson’s 20-yard free-kick clear Sam Johnson’s crossbar.

But Pools were level in the 39th minute and it came from the main Mani following the first away corner of the evening.

Town could not clear Featherstone’s delivery and Dieseruvwe lashed his shot high into the net for his 10th goal of the season.

Town came flying out of the blocks for the second half and Pools were forced to defend the onslaught desperately with Jameson making three vital saves.

But from the third corner in quick succession the defence finally succumbed with Senior shooting low into the net to deservedly regain the lead for the hosts.

Despite being outplayed for a sustained period, Pools came ogonisingly close to a 65th-minute leveller, only for a breathtaking Johnson save to his left to deny Dieseruvwe his second following a Featherstone free-kick.

Pools began to exert some pressure and after Dieseruvwe headed over from Grey’s cross, sub Josh Umerah was thwarted by Johnson who made a great  near-post save from the sub after good work by Tom Crawford.

Askey sent on Matty Dolan and the sub almost created an equaliser with a superb cross from the left but Lacey headed wide.

Pools kept battling and Johnson again denied Umerah at the end of normal time.

Despite almost nine minutes of added time, Hartlepool could not find a goal and will look to bounce back at home to Rochdale on Saturday.

Pools: Jameson, Hendrie, Seaman (Dolan 78), Lacey (Onariase 87), Mattock, Ferguson, Featherstone, Crawford, Agyemang (Umerah 58), Dieseruvwe, Grey

Subs (not used): Dixon, Paterson

Goals: Dieseruvwe (39)

Halifax goals: Wright 34, Senior 48

Referee: David McNamara

Att: 2,052 (away 271)