A late equaliser from Doncaster captain Rob Jones earned a point at Hartlepool.

The home side looked on course for victory when Neil Austin converted a second-half penalty, awarded for a foul on veteran striker Steve Howard.

Rovers had chances to level, with James Harper volleying just wide and Scott Flinders acrobatically saving Dave Cotterill's long-range attempt.

But the Hartlepool keeper could not prevent Jones bundling in a Cotterill free-kick with two minutes to play.

Hartlepool have now gone nine matches in all competitions without a victory, with their last win coming on 1 September.

VIEW FROM THE DRESSING ROOM

Doncaster Rovers manager Dean Saunders told BBC Radio Sheffield:

"We got robbed. I said to the players before the game that the only way we should lose a game like this is through bad luck or a dodgy ref. And we got both.

"We managed to get a point out of the game and we haven't laid down.

"We should have won the game in the first 20 minutes and squandered good chances. They gained confidence from it.

"I feel sorry for the players because it's just a terrible refereeing decision that's cost them."

Lineup, Bookings (1) & Substitutions (6)

Hartlepool United

  • 01 Flinders
  • 02 Austin
  • 06 Horwood (Poole - 36' )
  • 18 Baldwin
  • 22 Holden
  • 29 Hartley
  • 07 Franks
  • 15 Sweeney
  • 20 Murray
  • 35 Noble (Wyke - 58' )
  • 39 Howard

Substitutes

  • 31 McHugh
  • 05 Collins
  • 03 Humphreys
  • 08 Walton
  • 19 Richards
  • 10 Poole
  • 36 Wyke (Humphreys - 81' )

Doncaster Rovers

  • 33 Woods
  • 02 Quinn
  • 04 Martis Booked (Husband - 80' )
  • 05 Jones
  • 14 Spurr
  • 06 Syers
  • 11 Cotterill
  • 20 Harper
  • 08 Paynter (Ball - 66' )
  • 09 Brown (Keegan - 86' )
  • 23 Bennett

Substitutes

  • 01 Sullivan
  • 03 Husband
  • 07 Woods
  • 12 Woods
  • 30 Keegan
  • 10 Blake
  • 25 Ball
Ref: Scott
Att: 4,406

Match Stats

Shots

10 13

On target

5 5

Corners

4 5

Fouls

7 10

Live Text Commentary

90:00 +4:28 Full time

Full Time The referee signals the end of the game.

90:00 +3:49

Effort from outside the area by David Syers goes wide right of the goal.

90:00 +3:09

Antony Sweeney concedes a free kick for a foul on Paul Quinn. Free kick taken by Gary Woods.

90:00 +1:32

Neil Austin concedes a free kick for a foul on Kyle Bennett. David Cotterill crosses the ball in from the free kick, save by Scott Flinders.

89:12

Jordan Ball gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Neil Austin. Neil Austin takes the free kick.

88:17

The assist for the goal came from Kyle Bennett.

88:17 Goal scored

Goal - Rob Jones - Hartlepool 1 - 1 Doncaster Rob Jones scores a headed goal from close in. Hartlepool 1-1 Doncaster.

87:45

Foul by Peter Hartley on Jordan Ball, free kick awarded. David Cotterill restarts play with the free kick.

86:51

The ball is sent over by Jonathan Franks, Paul Quinn makes a clearance.

85:24

Foul by Steve Howard on Gary Woods, free kick awarded. Free kick taken by Gary Woods.

85:24 Substitution

Substitution Paul Keegan on for Chris Brown.

83:29

David Cotterill takes a shot from 25 yards. Save made by Scott Flinders. Outswinging corner taken by David Cotterill, Headed effort from inside the area by David Syers misses to the left of the target.

82:41

Jonathan Franks sends in a cross, clearance made by Rob Jones.

78:49 Substitution

Substitution Charlie Wyke goes off and Ritchie Humphreys comes on.

78:49 Substitution

Substitution James Husband comes on in place of Shelton Martis.

78:49

James Harper produces a drilled right-footed shot from deep inside the penalty area which goes wide of the left-hand post.

77:23

Charlie Wyke fouled by Paul Quinn, the ref awards a free kick. Direct effort from the free kick comes in from Steve Howard, save by Gary Woods.

75:12

David Cotterill takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, Neil Austin manages to make a clearance.

73:42

Free kick awarded for a foul by Jonathan Franks on Shelton Martis. Shelton Martis takes the direct free kick.

72:41

Darren Holden produces a cross, clearance by Shelton Martis.

71:19

David Syers concedes a free kick for a foul on Scott Flinders. Direct free kick taken by Scott Flinders.

69:47

The assist for the goal came from Steve Howard.

69:47 Goal scored

Goal - Neil Austin - Hartlepool 1 - 0 Doncaster Neil Austin scores a placed penalty. Hartlepool 1-0 Doncaster.

68:57

Shelton Martis concedes a Penalty for a foul on Steve Howard.

67:33

Drilled right-footed shot by Shelton Martis. Neil Austin gets a block in.

67:00

David Cotterill takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line played to the near post, Neil Austin manages to make a clearance.

65:27 Substitution

Substitution Jordan Ball joins the action as a substitute, replacing Billy Paynter.

65:27

Charlie Wyke has an effort at goal from outside the box which misses left.

64:48

Direct free kick taken by Darren Holden.

64:48 Booking

Booking Shelton Martis goes into the referee's book.

64:26

Unfair challenge on Charlie Wyke by Shelton Martis results in a free kick.

62:55

Shelton Martis gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steve Howard. Jonathan Franks delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel, clearance by David Syers.

61:53

The referee gives a free kick against Darren Holden for handball. David Cotterill crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from right wing. Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Chris Brown misses to the left of the goal.

61:16

The assistant referee flags for offside against Steve Howard. Shelton Martis takes the free kick.

58:24

Rob Jones challenges Steve Howard unfairly and gives away a free kick. Darren Holden crosses the ball in from the free kick, clearance made by David Cotterill. Jonathan Franks takes the outswinging corner, clearance by Billy Paynter.

57:05 Substitution

Substitution Charlie Wyke on for Ryan Noble.

55:21

Effort on goal by James Poole from 20 yards. Gary Woods makes a fantastic save. Corner from the right by-line taken by Jonathan Franks, Steve Howard takes a shot. Comfortable save by Gary Woods.

54:06

Corner taken by Jonathan Franks from the left by-line, clearance made by Tommy Spurr. Corner taken by Jonathan Franks, Rob Jones manages to make a clearance.

53:35

The assistant referee flags for offside against Chris Brown. Darren Holden takes the indirect free kick.

52:14

Foul by Jack Baldwin on Chris Brown, free kick awarded. Free kick crossed by David Cotterill, comfortable save by Scott Flinders.

50:38

A cross is delivered by Paul Quinn, Jack Baldwin makes a clearance.

49:25

James Harper takes a shot. Darren Holden gets a block in. Corner taken by David Cotterill from the left by-line. Headed effort on goal by David Syers from inside the penalty box misses to the right of the goal.

48:18

Shot by Neil Austin. Blocked by Rob Jones.

45:39

Ryan Noble takes a shot from 12 yards. Shelton Martis gets a block in.

45:01

The second half begins.

45:00 +2:30 Half time

Half Time The ref blows to signal half-time.

45:00 +2:03

Kyle Bennett produces a right-footed shot from outside the penalty box and misses right.

45:00 +1:49

Billy Paynter delivers the ball, clearance by Jack Baldwin.

45:00 +0:42

Jonathan Franks produces a cross, Shelton Martis manages to make a clearance. A cross is delivered by Jonathan Franks, Rob Jones manages to make a clearance.

39:52

Jonathan Franks produces a cross, clearance made by Rob Jones.

36:49

Effort from outside the area by James Poole hits the post.

35:32 Substitution

Substitution James Poole comes on in place of Evan Horwood.

32:03

Corner taken by David Cotterill from the right by-line played to the near post, Header from deep inside the penalty area by Shelton Martis goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

26:45

Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Jonathan Franks by Kyle Bennett. Free kick crossed by Neil Austin, clearance made by Shelton Martis.

25:05

The ball is delivered by Kyle Bennett, save by Scott Flinders.

24:11

Evan Horwood produces a cross, Tommy Spurr makes a clearance. Effort from just outside the area by Neil Austin goes over the bar.

23:31

A cross is delivered by David Cotterill, Jonathan Franks makes a clearance.

21:58

Kyle Bennett has a drilled shot. Scott Flinders makes a comfortable save.

21:07

Shelton Martis concedes a free kick for a foul on Steve Howard. The free kick is swung in left-footed by Darren Holden, save by Gary Woods.

20:14

Evan Horwood produces a cross, clearance made by Shelton Martis.

19:31

Chris Brown is ruled offside. Scott Flinders restarts play with the free kick.

18:47

Steve Howard challenges Rob Jones unfairly and gives away a free kick. Gary Woods takes the direct free kick.

18:22

Free kick awarded for a foul by David Syers on Evan Horwood. Neil Austin takes the free kick.

16:50

The ball is swung over by Jack Baldwin, Header on goal by Steve Howard from inside the box goes harmlessly over the target.

15:58

Jonathan Franks produces a cross, Rob Jones manages to make a clearance.

14:00

A cross is delivered by Kyle Bennett.

8:08

Header from deep inside the penalty area by Steve Howard goes harmlessly over the crossbar.

6:26

The assistant referee signals for offside against Ryan Noble. Rob Jones takes the free kick.

4:14

A cross is delivered by David Cotterill, Scott Flinders makes a comfortable save.

2:25

Billy Paynter produces a right-footed shot from the edge of the area and misses to the left of the target.

1:56

Centre by David Cotterill, clearance made by Jack Baldwin.

0:00

The referee gets the game started.

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