Hartlepool United extended their unbeaten league run at the Prestige Group Stadium under Lennie Lawrence but were left frustrated by a 1-1 draw against Woking.
Pools controlled almost the entire contest but had to come from behind to take a point thanks to Luke Charman’s delicate 67th-minute header after David Ferguson’s own goal had given the Cardinals an unlikely lead.
Neal Ardley’s team had played for over half the match with only 10 men after debutant Chinkwike Okoli had brought down Mani Dieseruvwe when the striker was in on goal, but Pools, despite their dominance, could not summon a winner.
There was just one change from Lawrence and it was enforced after the in-form Gary Madine became the latest to succumb to a groin issue.
The Pools boss though was lucky to have Adam Campbell back, allowing Lawrence to revert to his favoured 4-2-3-1 formation.
New arrivals Reyes Cleary, on loan from West Brom, and Sam Folarin, signed for an undisclosed fee from Harrogate, were both named on the bench.
Pools were on top from the off and went close in the second minute corner when Luke Waterfall’s header was narrowly off-target from David Ferguson’s right-wing corner before Luke Charman shot wide.
Kazenga LuaLua, making only his second league start, was involved in almost all of the first-half chances.
The former Brighton star had the best opportunity in the 34th-minute shot from Charman’s delightful cross but put his shot over the top.
Woking looked neat enough on the ball but aside from a 13th-minute Jermaine Anderson effort which went high over the bar at the Town End, they were unable to threaten the hosts.
The big moment of the match came in the 36th minute when Woking went down to 10 men.
Referee Steven Copeland had no hesitation in ordering off Okoli, who tripped Dieseruvwe who got on the end of Dan Dodds’s long punt. As the last defender, Okoli simply had to see red.
LuaLua had another chance before the break but headed straight at Will Jaaskelainen from Dodds’s cross.
After the break, Nathan Sheron brought a diving save from Jaaskelainen and if anyone was going to score it looked like Pools.
But, against the run of play, the home team fell behind in the 54th minute.
Harry Beautyman’s cross from the left did not look a cause for concern, but Ferguson inadvertently put the ball past Adam Smith.
Pools threw on Cleary and Folarin wide on the left and right and it was a foul on Cleary which would get them back into the game.
Nicky Featherstone delivered a great free-kick from the left which Charman glanced in from six yards.
The hosts gave it their all and Cleary came closest when his well-struck effort clipped the bar from Dodds’s cross.
There was tons of effort but the last touch or pass was not quite there and Pools had to settle for a point.
Pools: Smith, Dodds, Waterfall, Parkes, Ferguson, Sheron (Hunter 83), Featherstone, Charman, Campbell (Folarin 66), LuaLua (Cleary 59), Dieseruvwe
Subs (not used): Young, Sass-Davies, Bondswell, Sloggett