Hartlepool United 1 Bristol Rovers 2

Last updated : 05 May 2007 By Footymad Previewer
Bristol Rovers booked a place in the League Two play-offs with a late goal that robbed Hartlepool of their chance of the title.

A stunning second half fight-back clinched seventh place for Rovers after the home team appeared to have done enough to earn the win that would have given them the silverware.

In the end, a goal five minutes from time decided the game, and left a lot of broken hearts at Victoria Park.

The first half started evenly as both sides felt their way into the game, though Rovers looked the livelier without actually creating any serious chances.

But Hartlepool soon found their feet and Rovers' keeper Steve Phillips needed his fingertips to tip a deflected shot from Willie Boland over the bar, and push out a low free-kick from Richie Humphreys that was heading for the bottom corner.

But the keeper was beaten on 32 minutes as Hartlepool's short passing game undid the Rovers defence, Boland's pass moved on by Anthony Sweeney for Joel Porter to slot his close-range shot into the bottom corner.

Phillips had to be smart again just before the break as he dived to his right to save a header from Eifion Williams after a right-wing cross from James Brown.

Rovers had offered little in the first half apart from a long-range Rickie Lambert shot that flew over the bar, and a low cross from Craig Disley that was cleared in front of goal by Humphreys.

But it took Rovers only nine minutes of the second half to level the scores after they changed their system, Richard Walker scoring from the spot after Boland was ruled to have fouled the impressive Disley in a packed penalty area.

The home team came back and in a nervous last half-hour David Foley smashed an angled shot from the left of the area against the bar, while sub Michael Mackay had what he thought was a League debut goal disallowed for offside.

But a draw was not enough for Rovers, and they went for the win they needed in the dying minutes. Former Rovers player Ali Gibb cleared an effort off the Hartlepool line while another effort from Lambert was well saved by keeper Konstantopoulos.

But the keeper had no chance five minutes from time when Lambert was at the far post to head in Ryan Green's right-wing cross for the vital winner.