Sweeney spectacular earns Pools a point (From The Northern Echo)

Sheffield Wednesday 2 Hartlepool United 2

9:00pm Saturday 21st January 2012 in Hartlepool United Match Reports

ANTONY Sweeney's 87th minute volley earned Hartlepool United a point at Sheffield Wednesday.

Trailing 2-1 with time running out, the midfielder latched onto a header by James Brown to deftly lob the ball over the stranded Nicky Weaver from 25 yards.

Pools took the lead two minutes after half-time when, from Evan Horwood's corner, Peter Hartley firmly headed in from eight yards.

Ten minutes later, however, The Owls levelled.

Substitute Jermaine Johnson burst forward in possession, skipped past Steve Haslam and Evan Horwood before drilling low across Scott Flinders.

And the promotion-chasing home side took the lead when Hartley's hacked clearance fell at the feet of Gary Madine and he made no mistake with a low finish.

But Sweeney's goal ensured a point in a spirited and committed performance to make it three without loss for Neale Cooper's side.

Sheffield Wednesday: Weaver; Ostemobor, Battth, R Jones (Llera 65), R Johnson (J Johnson 46); M Jones (Lowe 56), Semedo, Lines, Buxton; O'Grady, Madine. Subs: Bywater (gk), Morrison.

Pools: Flinders; Austin, Collins, Hartley, Horwood; Murray (Humphreys 67), Liddle, Haslam (Brown 78), Sweeney, Monkhouse, James. Subs: Rafferty (gk), Boyd, Baldwin.

Attendance: 17, 469