HARTLEPOOL UNITED’S season ended in some style with a manic 3-3 draw at Carlisle on the final day of the season.

Trailing 3-0 at half-time after a desperate opening half, they stormed back to pull level and send the 2,224 away fans back home ecstatic.

The travelling fans adopted the Bob Marley theme in numbers, with the away section at Brunton Park a sea of noise and colour.

But they were quiet and gloomy in the opening half.

Pools, who didn’t arrive at Brunton Park until 45 minutes before kick-off after their team coach broke down on the A66 some 55 miles from Carlisle,  should have taken the lead early on, but Jordan Hugill headed wide from close range.

A  minute later and Carlisle took the lead when a low shot from Dempsey whipped off the surface and beat Scott Flinders.

Two goals in as many minutes stunned Pools – both were down to desperate defending.

First-up and Rigg turned in at the far post when a free-kick was played into the six-yard area.

Then from a corner, Flinders got the wrong side of the ball, Austin headed off the line and Kennedy planted in a firm header from close range.

Pools were desperately poor. Fenwick was suffering from a knee injury and was forced off at half-time and his replacement Harewood made a massive impact on his final game for the club.

On 63 minutes, the substitute crossed low, Tshibola’s close range effort was blocked and Hugill turned in from close range.

Then a minute later, Duckworth nailed the goal of the season award. He moved forward, exchanged passes with Harewood and drilled home an unstoppable first-time shot from 30 yards.

The leveller came when Harewood and Tshibola linked up and the latter rolled the ball across the area for Hugill to drill in from close range.

Defender Austin made three vital and impressive close-range blocks to deny Carlisle a fourth, but Pools almost won it spectacularly when Bates unleashed a volley at goal from 30 yards in injury time that keeper Gillespie managed to tip over.

Pools ended their season third bottom, four points above the drop zone.

CARLISLE UNITED: Gillespie; Kennedy, Buddle, Atkinson, Brough; Dempsey, Sweeney (Hammell 46), Potts (Thirlwell 75), Young; Rigg (Taylor 61), Wyke. Subs: Hanford (gk), O’Hanlon, Douglas, Griffith.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Flinders; Austin, Bates, Harrison, Duckworth; Nelson-Addy (J Jones 55), Tshibola, Featherstone, Franks; Fenwick (Harewood 46), Hugill. Subs: Walker, Miller, Parnaby, Maxted (gk), Richards, J Jones.

Referee: Scott Mathieson (Stockport)