Neale Cooper was a frustrated manager last night as his Hartlepool United side suffered their sixth away defeat of the season.

After comfortably holding - and outplaying for long periods - second-placed Brentford, a last- minute goal was the harshest outcome.

Heavy defeats at Milton Keynes and Luton have hurt Pool. Last night's added to the misery because it was their best away performance of the campaign.

Pool looked set to be the first side to take a point at Griffin Park until Deon Burton struck.

Home boss Martin Allen felt the visitors would provide the toughest test of the campaign to date for his squad. And so it proved as Pool controlled the game, only to finish disconsolate.

A cross to the back post was met by former Derby man Burton and he powered over Micky Barron to head high into the net.

Brentford, with lively strikers Burton and Isaiah Rankin tearing around the Pool back line, started at a bright pace.

They chased and harassed and fizzed the ball forward at every chance and Chris Westwood and Micky Nelson - restored in the centre of defence - had to be alert.

The pair were strong throughout as they comfortably held off the threat. Keeper Jim Provett wasn't tested, other than from a flurry of high balls, but opposite number Stuart Nelson went close to conceding a howler.

Defender Sam Sodje sliced a clearance away from his keeper and Nelson collected.

A minute later, he almost gifted Pool an even funnier goal. Nelson took a goal kick but smashed it against the head of the unaware Sodje and the ball bounced across the far side of goal and out of play.

Humphreys took the ball down and volleyed at goal from 30 yards, with keeper Nelson spilling the shot as it spun off the greasy surface.

Long shots were exchanged as Woods tried a long-range chip, which the back-pedalling Nelson stopped before John Salako had a go from 25 yards.

Then both sides had to hack away in goalmouth scrambles, Micky Nelson clearing Pool's lines then Sweeney's shot in a packed area was barged out for a corner.

Provett did well to palm out a dangerous cross from under his crossbar as Burton challenged.

Then it was Pool's turn to test keeper Nelson from a cross and this time he was beaten.

Matty Robson swung over a cross from the touchline and the ball took a defelction to loop over the head of the hapless keeper.

But the lead didn't last long. A free-kick from the right was nodded back into the six-yard box and Rankin prodded in from close range.

Pool's Nelson was then booked after sliding in on Jay Tabb and his fifth caution means he misses Saturday's trip to Peterborough.

Porter's touch let him down after racing 60 yards and outpacing the home defence. With just keeper Nelson to beat he ran the ball into his arms.

Boyd lifted a shot on to the bar in the early stages of the second-half, but the assistant referee ruled a foul against the striker.

The game was wide open now. Pool had plenty of possession, but too often lost it by wasting passes.

Eifion Williams went on for Porter, and Pool swiftly broke through Robson, Woods and Humphreys, only for Boyd's low shot to be well saved by Nelson.

Boyd looked a certain scorer when Tinkler's deft ball played him into the area. His dink over Nelson was heading for the net before defender Sodje intercepted.

Williams broke on the right and his low cross found Sweeney and the keeper went full length to claw out his well-directed strike.

Pool were asking all the questions, which made Burton's late goal all the more cruel.