Leon McSweeney's first-half strike gave Hartlepool their third consecutive 1-0 win in League One as they overcame promotion-chasing Huddersfield Town.
Leon McSweeney put the visitors in front just before the break from close range, tapping home Evan Horwood's cross at the back post.
Armann Bjornsson should have made it 2-0, but he inexplicably blazed the ball over the bar from close range.
Pools are now just three points off third-placed Town with a game in hand.
Lee Clark's side were up against a well-disciplined Hartlepool side, who have now moved up to 10th in League One having won four of their last five games.
The Terriers found Pools keeper Jake Kean in inspired form, the on-loan Blackburn youngster producing a string of fine saves to stifle the hosts.
Gary Roberts was the first to succumb to the impressive 19-year-old, who dived at his feet to deny him midway through the first half.
Kean also turned away shots form Peter Clarke and Anthony Pilkington before rushing out to prevent substitute Benik Afobe from scoring late on.
Hartlepool's winner came minutes before half-time when a cute backheel from Andy Monkhouse sent Horwood on his way and the full-back found McSweeney, who was free to fire past Terriers keeper Alex Smithies.
Despite being involved in the only League One Boxing Day game not to succumb to the wintry weather, Huddersfield remain one point off the promotion places.
Huddersfield Town manager Lee Clark told BBC Radio Leeds:
"That's tough. It's a hard one to take. Well done to Hartlepool but I'm very disappointed.
"We've given up a magnificent opportunity to go into the top two places.
"We've got to set the tone better. It's about winning games. I expect my team to pick up points at home."
Live text and stats
Sunday, 26 December 2010
Npower League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Huddersfield
0-1
Hartlepool
FT
(HT 0-1)
McSweeney 42
Huddersfield
01 Smithies
05 P Clarke
16 Arfield
18 McCombe
04 Gudjonsson (Novak 69)
07 Roberts
08 Kay
11 Pilkington
36 Carey (Lee 90+3)
10 Garner (Afobe 54)
17 Rhodes
Substitutes
13 Bennett,
06 N Clarke,
12 T Clarke,
31 Atkinson,
19 Lee,
21 Novak,
24 Afobe
Hartlepool
32 Kean
02 Austin
05 Collins
06 Horwood
29 Hartley
04 Liddle
07 McSweeney (Bjornsson 82)
11 Monkhouse yellow card
15 Sweeney
20 Murray yellow card (Haslam 72)
14 Brown (Larkin 60 yellow card)
Substitutes
21 Rafferty,
16 Haslam,
03 Humphreys,
08 Gamble,
12 Yantorno,
22 Bjornsson,
23 Larkin
Ref: NaylorAtt: 14,813
HUDDERSFIELD
HARTLEPOOL
Possession
Huddersfield57%
Hartlepool43%
Attempts on target
Huddersfield8
Hartlepool5
Attempts off target
Huddersfield4
Hartlepool4
Corners
Huddersfield6
Hartlepool3
Fouls
Huddersfield9
Hartlepool10
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+3:57 The referee brings the game to a close.
90:00+2:31 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Anthony Pilkington by Colin Larkin. Alex Smithies takes the direct free kick.
90:00+2:31 Substitution Alan Lee joins the action as a substitute, replacing Graham Carey.
89:19 Gary Liddle challenges Antony Kay unfairly and gives away a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Graham Carey.
87:04 Gary Roberts takes a shot. Jake Kean makes a brilliant save.
85:53 Corner taken by Graham Carey from the right by-line to the near post, Anthony Pilkington takes a shot. Brilliant save by Jake Kean.
84:45 Colin Larkin concedes a free kick for a foul on Jordan Rhodes. Anthony Pilkington crosses the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel.
84:45 Booking Colin Larkin is shown a yellow card.
84:12 Close range effort by Armann Bjornsson clears the crossbar.
82:50 Gary Roberts produces a cross.
81:31 Substitution (Hartlepool) makes a substitution, with Armann Bjornsson coming on for Leon McSweeney.
80:57 Jordan Rhodes challenges Sam Collins unfairly and gives away a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Jake Kean.
79:52 Evan Horwood challenges Gary Roberts unfairly and gives away a free kick. The free kick is swung in right-footed by Gary Roberts.
78:36 Headed effort from deep inside the penalty area by Jamie McCombe goes harmlessly over the crossbar.
77:48 Gary Roberts takes a shot. Save made by Jake Kean.
77:11 Corner taken by Gary Roberts from the right by-line played to the near post, Andy Monkhouse makes a clearance.
75:32 Anthony Pilkington decides to take a short corner, The ball is swung over by Graham Carey.
74:22 Steven Haslam takes a shot. Save made by Alex Smithies.
73:41 Corner taken by Leon McSweeney from the left by-line, save by Alex Smithies.
71:51 Substitution Steven Haslam joins the action as a substitute, replacing Paul Murray.
71:23 Colin Larkin takes a shot. Save made by Alex Smithies.
70:00 Andy Monkhouse fouled by Jordan Rhodes, the ref awards a free kick. Evan Horwood takes the direct free kick.
69:01 Colin Larkin is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Direct free kick taken by Graham Carey.
68:09 Joey Gudjonsson concedes a free kick for a foul on Leon McSweeney. Jake Kean takes the indirect free kick.
68:09 Substitution Joey Gudjonsson goes off and Lee Novak comes on.
66:21 The ball is swung over by Gary Roberts.
65:09 Effort on goal by Jordan Rhodes from just inside the penalty area goes harmlessly over the target.
64:47 Graham Carey takes the inswinging corner, clearance made by Andy Monkhouse.
64:37 Anthony Pilkington takes a shot. Sam Collins gets a block in.
59:08 Substitution Colin Larkin joins the action as a substitute, replacing James Brown.
57:35 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Anthony Pilkington, clearance made by Peter Hartley.
53:36 Substitution Benik Afobe replaces Joe Garner.
48:05 The referee gives a free kick against Jordan Rhodes for handball. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Evan Horwood from left channel, Jamie McCombe makes a clearance.
45:01 The referee blows his whistle to start the second half.
Half Time
45:00+2:16 The referee calls an end to the first half.
45:00+2:03 Jordan Rhodes takes a shot. Save made by Jake Kean.
45:00+0:45 Unfair challenge on Andy Monkhouse by Scott Arfield results in a free kick. Indirect free kick taken by Jake Kean.
42:00 The assist for the goal came from Evan Horwood.
42:00 GOAL - Leon McSweeney:Huddersfield 0 - 1 Hartlepool Leon McSweeney finds the back of the net with a goal from close range low into the middle of the goal. Huddersfield 0-1 Hartlepool.
40:52 Unfair challenge on Scott Arfield by Paul Murray results in a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Joey Gudjonsson.
40:52 Booking The referee shows Paul Murray a yellow card.
39:03 Shot by Anthony Pilkington from outside the box goes over the target.
37:58 Corner taken by Graham Carey, Leon McSweeney makes a clearance.
37:33 Antony Kay takes a shot. Blocked by Evan Horwood.
36:22 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Sam Collins by Jordan Rhodes. Indirect free kick taken by Jake Kean.
33:18 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Antony Kay by Gary Liddle. Indirect free kick taken by Peter Clarke.
32:45 Free kick awarded for a foul by James Brown on Jamie McCombe. Joey Gudjonsson takes the free kick.
31:52 Peter Hartley takes a shot. Alex Smithies makes a comfortable save.
31:14 Inswinging corner taken by Leon McSweeney from the left by-line played to the near post, Joe Garner manages to make a clearance.
30:35 Corner taken left-footed by Evan Horwood from the right by-line, save by Alex Smithies.
28:49 Graham Carey challenges Leon McSweeney unfairly and gives away a free kick. The free kick is delivered left-footed by Evan Horwood from right channel, Jordan Rhodes makes a clearance.
28:15 Free kick awarded for a foul by Sam Collins on Joey Gudjonsson. Direct free kick taken by Peter Clarke.
27:33 Foul by Jordan Rhodes on Paul Murray, free kick awarded. Evan Horwood restarts play with the free kick.
26:11 Free kick awarded for a foul by Graham Carey on Neil Austin. Centre by Peter Hartley, Shot from just outside the box by Andy Monkhouse misses to the left of the goal.
25:25 Gary Roberts takes a shot. Jake Kean makes a save.
22:12 Andy Monkhouse concedes a free kick for a foul on Anthony Pilkington. Free kick crossed left-footed by Graham Carey, Peter Hartley manages to make a clearance.
22:12 Booking Booking for Andy Monkhouse.
21:20 Jordan Rhodes is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Jake Kean restarts play with the free kick.
20:35 James Brown is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Indirect free kick taken by Jamie McCombe.
19:06 James Brown has an effort at goal from the edge of the area that misses to the right of the target.
17:58 The ball is delivered by Gary Roberts.
17:04 James Brown takes a shot. Save made by Alex Smithies.
15:33 Peter Clarke concedes a free kick for a foul on Antony Sweeney. Evan Horwood fires a strike on goal direct from the free kick.
14:12 Anthony Pilkington takes a shot. Save by Jake Kean.
10:58 The assistant referee signals for offside against Antony Sweeney. Alex Smithies restarts play with the free kick.
4:04 Gary Roberts fouled by Gary Liddle, the ref awards a free kick. Graham Carey shoots direct from the free kick.
0:00 The game kicks-off.
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