SWINDON Town let a 1-0 lead slip against relegation-threatened Hartlepool United on Saturday as a stoppage-time Ollie Finney goal handed the Pools all three points in a 2-1 win at the Suit Direct Stadium.

Rushian Hepburn-Murphy gave Town an early advantage with a fabulous long-range effort in the fourth minute, and perhaps should have had more but for wasteful finishing and desperate defending.

Tom Brewitt saw a header magnificently saved by Jakub Stolarczyk after the break, with Tyrese Shade another who was left to rue missed chances during the second half.

But Connor Jennings equalised with two minutes remaining, and Finney cracked home a winner from outside the box to send the home fans into raptures and leave the travelling supporters wondering what might have been.

Jody Morris made one change to his side following defeat to Stockport County last time out, and it was an enforced one – the suspended Jacob Wakeling making way for Shade.

In the home dugout, John Askey kept faith with the same eleven that started their last game against league leaders Leyton Orient, as they looked to get their first win under his stewardship following an unbeaten run of six draws in succession.

The Robins took the lead within four minutes – Hepburn-Murphy with a crisp strike from at least 20 yards into the bottom-left corner that gave Stolarczyk no chance in the Pools goal.

It was a welcome contrast to the early stages of the previous week’s home game with Stockport County, when Wakeling was dismissed for a professional foul and the Hatters were awarded a penalty.

Jonny Williams flicked the ball into the side netting from a corner, before a wicked cross from the right flew across the six-yard box with no-one there to apply the finishing touch.

The hosts were struggling to gain a foothold in the game, but set pieces looked promising - Daniel Dodds’ header missed the target after Mohamad Sylla had headed back across goal before Connor Jennings hit the crossbar from a Dodds free kick.

Town looked dangerous going forward – Joe Tomlinson was next to try his luck, but didn’t have the same success as his teammate as he could only find Stolarczyk’s gloves.

Hepburn-Murphy saw a venomous shot deflected wide following good hold-up play from Charlie Austin, before Josh Umerah saw a penalty appeal waved away.

The goalscorer proved Town’s biggest threat by far in the game – his early second-half effort was well saved by Stolarczyk, before he raced clear on the counter attack and was only denied a second by a magnificent recovery run from Jamie Sterry.

Brewitt should have doubled the lead in the 56th minute after connecting well with a free-kick delivery from the left, but Stolarczyk pulled off a ridiculous save to claw it off the line.

A succession of home corners provided chances for the equaliser, but none were taken – Jennings glanced a header wide from one while the ball was scrambled away at the back post from another.

Austin had the ball in the net after challenging the Pools keeper for a high ball – taking a whack for his troubles – but the flag was raised for offside to deny him.

Remeao Hutton drilled a shot wide from the right wing as Town continued to create chances, but the visitors couldn’t find the elusive second goal.

And they were made to pay when Jennings converted substitute Wes McDonald’s cross two minutes from time, and give Hartlepool an equaliser for the second successive week.

Suddenly, the game became more end-to-end, and Finney gave the Robins a taste of their own medicine with a similar strike to that of Hepburn-Murphy’s opener.

It ended Pools’ six-game drawing streak, and put them within two points of Crawley in the battle to escape the National League trapdoor.

Town were left to rue chances wasted, and saw their play-off hopes all but vanish with defeat in the north-east – their third in five, in a six-game winless run stretching back to a 3-0 success against Harrogate Town on February 25.

HUFC starting XI: Stolarczyk, Dodds, Murray, Sterry, Ferguson ©, Pruti, Cooke, Sylla, Kemp, Jennings, Umerah.

HUFC substitutes: Killip, Foran, Featherstone, McDonald, Finney, Crawford, Hamilton.

STFC starting XI: Brynn, Hutton, Brewitt, Blake-Tracy, Tomlinson, McEachran, Williams, Khan, Shade, Austin (c), Hepburn-Murphy.

STFC substitutes: Copland, Kadji, Adeloye, Lavinier, Clayton, Cain, Jephcott.

Referee: Carl Boyeson

Attendance: 4,815 (433)