Twice Hartlepool United found themselves ahead in their FA Cup first-round showdown with Solihull Moors, and twice they were pegged back, as the League Two strugglers were held to an exciting four-goal draw on rival territory.
Josh Umerah and Jack Hamilton both struck for Hartlepool at the ARMCO Arena, but Andrew Dallas and Joe Sbarra came up with responses each time to force a replay and add another game to interim manager Keith Curle’s already hectic calendar.
An FA Cup replay was the last thing that Hartlepool needed as they struggle to stay afloat in League Two, with Pools second from bottom in the table after suffering their 10th loss of the season to promotion-chasing Stevenage at the weekend, with Danny Rose scoring the only goal of the contest.
While the hosts can take some confidence from only losing to a freak goal against the league’s second-best team, it is now just one win in eight matches in all competitions for Hartlepool, who are also without a clean sheet in 10 successive matches as defensive frailties continue to bedevil them.
It may not be a glamour tie at a Premier League ground for Solihull Moors, but the National League side can look forward to their midweek away day after holding their own against higher-tier opposition last weekend.
However, Neal Ardley’s side have not been able to keep the momentum going following that 2-2 draw, losing their last two league fixtures in front of their own fans to Halifax Town and Dagenham & Redbridge without scoring a single goal.
Solihull Moors fell 1-0 to Halifax before a humbling 3-0 defeat to Dagenham on Saturday made it five games without a win for the visitors in all competitions, with the latter result dropping them to sixth in the rankings, but they are still hovering in and around the playoff positions.
Hartlepool’s recent struggles have coincided with an ever-growing injury crisis, as Alex Lacey had to come off with a dislocated shoulder in the dying embers to join fellow centre-back Rollin Menayese on the sidelines.
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Mark Shelton, Tom Crawford, Jamie Sterry and Mouhamed Niang are also out of contention for Pools, but David Fergusonand Brody Paterson both returned to the backline at the weekend in a major boost to the hosts’ rearguard ranks.
Goalkeeper Ben Killip was at fault for Stevenage’s winner at the weekend – laying the ball down to clear while not knowing that Rose was behind him and waiting to pounce – but he was given a vote of confidence by his manager after the game.
Meanwhile, Solihull Moors striker Dallas – who scored in the first meeting with Hartlepool – sustained an injury of his own in the midweek loss to Halifax and did not make the squad for the meeting with Dagenham & Redbridge.
