Hartlepool United 2 Brighton 1

HARTLEPOOL United secured a second round FA Cup trip to Fleetwood Town, after making another comeback last night.

Brighton were again on the receiving end, as two second half goals turned the game around, ten days after Pools drew 3-3 at the Withdean Stadium after trailing 2-0 at halftime.

A tepid first-half was followed by an impressive turnaround to earn a trip to Conference North side Fleetwood, who last night saw off Leiston in a replay.

Goals from Joel Porter and Gary Liddle earned the win, which, while no-one will publicly admit it, presents a decent chance of further progress.

Last season Pools beat Gainsborough, of the same division, 6-0 in the competition.

Without Kevin Kyle and Sam Collins from Saturday’s game, Pools boss Danny Wilson had to field an inexperienced bench.

Matty Robson was preferred to Andy Monkhouse and the left winger was involved in all of Pools’ bright early play.

He fired over a quick, firsttime cross, which evaded fellow call-up David Foley, and Robson was always an outlet on the flank.

When Brighton threatened, Micky Nelson was again in determined mood and wasn’t allowing much to pass him by.

Both defences were sitting deep, which allowed for plenty of play through the middle of the park and the visitors’ four midfielders offered more protection to their defence.

The Seagulls went into the game with only three clean sheets in the last 17 games, a period in which they have also leaked 32 goals.

In the same spell, Pools have leaked the same amount, while keeping one less clean sheet.

A goalless draw was never on the cards last night and so it proved on 28 minutes.

Foley lost possession on the edge of Albion’s penalty area and Dean Cox took possession.

Allowed to charge too far ahead, he slid the ball across the back line for Nicky Forster to skirt around Arran Lee- Barrett and score.

It proved to be their only chance of note in 90 minutes.

Pools had a sniff of a chance to level when Ritchie Humphreys found Porter.

His ball played in Gary Liddle, but he couldn’t get to the ball quickly enough close to goal.

A slide-rule Humphreys pass played Robson in on the touchline and his dink into the danger zone was hooked off the line by the back-pedalling Matt Richards.

It was the closest Pools had come to scoring, but Foley tried his luck soon afterwards.

Taking a deft Gary Liddle pass, he motored ahead and curled a low shot wide of the far post from distance.

A mistake by Cox set up Foley to shoot and his low drive was stopped by Michel Kuipers.

The keeper was criticised by his manager for his performance in the game at Victoria Park last month, but earned his corn last night.

As Pools kept up the pressure, he had to react smartly to paw away a strong Robson shot.

Sweeney, who again never stopped working on the right side with an incessant display, then turned and shot at goal, only for it to go wide via a deflection, Porter then drilled inches over from 20 yards.

Pools were having their best attacking spell of the game and had to make the most of it.

And they did just that on 66 minutes. A long Micky Nelson ball was chased by Porter and he was bundled over in the area by Colin Hawkins.

The striker slammed in from the spot, curling the ball into the corner to beat the long dive of Kuipers.

Two minutes later Pools were ahead. After Foley went close to connecting with an intelligently taken Ritchie Jones corner, the midfielder had a second take at the dead ball.

Taken short to Antony Sweeney he skirted into the area and pulled the ball deep across goal, Gary Liddle making no mistake with a low 12- yard finish.

Brighton thought they had levelled soon afterwards, Murray turning in from six yards, only for a late off-side flag to chalk it off.