Antony Sweeney's late strike gave Hartlepool a narrow victory over Colchester and ended their run of eight games without a win.
Both teams struggled and the game looked destined for a goalless draw.
However when Ritchie Humphreys' free-kick fell to Sweeney, the home side's leading scorer rifled in his 11th goal of the season from deep inside the box.
Colchester should have equalised but Steve Gillespie sent a free header wide from six yards.
Hartlepool United first-team coach Mick Wadsworth told BBC Tees:
"It was a really tough game and a really even game against a very strong and powerful Colchester team.
"I have to say in the second half we played really well, we had most of the ball and put them on the back foot, we had good situations and three or four times some real quality.
"But the most important ingredient was the will, desire and the ruggedness to go and compete because each of our guys had to play against someone and most of the time they came out on top
Colchester United manager John Ward told BBC Essex: "The best side in the second half won in the end. They put more pressure on us than we did them.
"In the second period they went big and long on a difficult surface and they have won ugly a bit and they were always probably going to get something off a set-play.
"As it is, we are really upset with ourselves because it was a scrappy and scruffy game and nothing to go home with."
Live text and stats
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Npower League One
Home Team
Score
Away Team
Time
Hartlepool
1-0
Colchester
FT
(HT 0-0)
Sweeney 88
Hartlepool
01 Flinders
05 Collins yellow card
06 Horwood
16 Haslam
29 Hartley
03 Humphreys (McSweeney 90)
04 Liddle
15 Sweeney yellow card
20 Murray yellow card
10 Boyd (Larkin 64)
14 Brown (Monkhouse 64)
Substitutes
21 Rafferty,
07 McSweeney,
08 Gamble,
11 Monkhouse,
12 Yantorno,
36 Donaldson,
23 Larkin
Colchester
12 Cousins
03 Beevers
06 N Clarke
28 Heath
10 Izzet
14 Bond
17 Perkins (Wordsworth 60)
24 Coker
26 James (Vincent 79)
18 Gillespie yellow card
19 Mooney yellow card (Odejayi 70 yellow card)
Substitutes
35 Pentney,
05 Baldwin,
25 White,
22 Wordsworth,
07 Vincent,
15 Odejayi,
16 I Henderson
Ref: KettleAtt: 2,646
HARTLEPOOL
COLCHESTER
Possession
Hartlepool50%
Colchester50%
Attempts on target
Hartlepool7
Colchester5
Attempts off target
Hartlepool2
Colchester6
Corners
Hartlepool4
Colchester3
Fouls
Hartlepool19
Colchester11
Final Result
Full Time
90:00+4:23 The referee brings the game to a close.
90:00+3:26 Header from deep inside the area by Steven Gillespie goes over the bar.
89:59 Foul by Ashley Vincent on Peter Hartley, free kick awarded. Scott Flinders takes the direct free kick.
89:10 Substitution Leon McSweeney on for Ritchie Humphreys.
87:49 The assist for the goal came from Evan Horwood.
87:49 GOAL - Antony Sweeney:Hartlepool 1 - 0 Colchester Antony Sweeney finds the back of the net with a goal from deep inside the penalty box to the bottom left corner of the goal. Hartlepool 1-0 Colchester.
87:29 Paul Murray fouled by Matt Heath, the ref awards a free kick. Evan Horwood restarts play with the free kick.
84:47 Colin Larkin delivers the ball.
84:29 Colin Larkin sends in a cross, clearance by Matt Heath.
84:04 Nathan Clarke challenges Peter Hartley unfairly and gives away a free kick. Scott Flinders restarts play with the free kick.
83:32 Free kick awarded for a foul by Antony Sweeney on Ben Coker. Free kick taken by Anthony Wordsworth.
83:32 Booking Antony Sweeney receives a yellow card for dissent.
82:14 The referee blows for offside against Colin Larkin. Matt Heath restarts play with the free kick.
81:34 Ritchie Humphreys is penalised for handball and concedes a free kick. Free kick taken by Mark Cousins.
80:49 The ball is swung over by Steven Haslam.
80:00 Free kick awarded for a foul by Sam Collins on Steven Gillespie. Strike comes in from Anthony Wordsworth from the free kick, save by Scott Flinders.
80:00 Booking Sam Collins receives a yellow card for unsporting behaviour.
79:17 The assistant referee flags for offside against Andy Monkhouse. Mark Cousins restarts play with the free kick.
77:35 Foul by Kayode Odejayi on Evan Horwood, free kick awarded. Scott Flinders takes the free kick.
77:35 Substitution Ashley Vincent comes on in place of Lloyd James.
77:35 Booking Kayode Odejayi is booked.
76:19 Paul Murray produces a left-footed shot from just outside the penalty area that goes harmlessly over the target.
75:57 Foul by Lee Beevers on Evan Horwood, free kick awarded. Scott Flinders takes the free kick.
Correction - 74:58 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kayode Odejayi by Sam Collins. Strike on goal comes in from Anthony Wordsworth from the free kick, Gary Liddle gets a block in.
74:58 Sam Collins concedes a free kick for a foul on Kayode Odejayi. Anthony Wordsworth takes the free kick.
73:39 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kemal Izzet by Paul Murray. Free kick taken by Lloyd James.
73:39 Booking Paul Murray receives a yellow card.
73:04 The ball is swung over by Paul Murray, save by Mark Cousins.
71:49 Free kick awarded for a foul by Steven Gillespie on Scott Flinders. Scott Flinders restarts play with the free kick.
71:49 Booking Steven Gillespie goes into the book.
70:36 Ritchie Humphreys gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Kemal Izzet. Mark Cousins takes the free kick.
69:17 Substitution Kayode Odejayi is brought on as a substitute for David Mooney.
68:55 Centre by Antony Sweeney, Matt Heath makes a clearance.
68:27 Shot by Colin Larkin. Save made by Mark Cousins.
67:48 Lloyd James takes a inswinging corner from the left by-line played to the near post, Antony Sweeney makes a clearance.
66:35 Paul Murray gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Lloyd James. Direct free kick taken by Mark Cousins.
64:35 Shot from 20 yards by Colin Larkin. Matt Heath gets a block in. Inswinging corner taken from the right by-line by Evan Horwood, clearance made by Lee Beevers.
63:23 Substitution Colin Larkin comes on in place of Adam Boyd.
63:23 Substitution James Brown leaves the field to be replaced by Andy Monkhouse.
62:55 Lloyd James produces a right-footed shot from long distance which goes wide right of the goal.
59:41 David Perkins fouled by Paul Murray, the ref awards a free kick. Free kick taken by Nathan Clarke.
59:41 Substitution Anthony Wordsworth on for David Perkins.
57:14 James Brown is flagged offside by the assistant referee. Free kick taken by Mark Cousins.
56:58 The referee blows for offside against David Mooney. Scott Flinders restarts play with the free kick.
55:53 A cross is delivered by Gary Liddle, clearance made by Matt Heath.
54:43 The ball is sent over by Gary Liddle, Matt Heath makes a clearance.
53:50 Gary Liddle produces a cross, Lee Beevers makes a clearance.
53:10 Inswinging corner taken right-footed by Paul Murray from the left by-line, clearance by Lee Beevers.
52:05 Corner taken by Evan Horwood from the right by-line played to the near post, save by Mark Cousins.
49:23 Foul by Adam Boyd on Matt Heath, free kick awarded. Nathan Clarke takes the direct free kick.
48:26 The ball is crossed by Evan Horwood.
47:59 Effort from 20 yards by Andy Bond. Save by Scott Flinders.
46:32 Foul by Peter Hartley on Steven Gillespie, free kick awarded. Direct free kick taken by Lloyd James.
45:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Nathan Clarke on Adam Boyd. Paul Murray delivers the ball from the free kick right-footed from left channel.
45:01 The referee gets the second half started.
Half Time
45:00+1:16 The referee blows for half time.
45:00+0:35 David Mooney concedes a free kick for a foul on Steven Haslam. Scott Flinders takes the free kick.
45:00+0:35 Booking David Mooney goes into the book for unsporting behaviour.
45:00+0:15 David Mooney sends in a cross, clearance by Sam Collins.
42:59 Lloyd James produces a right-footed shot from just outside the box that misses to the right of the net.
41:59 Andy Bond fouled by Paul Murray, the ref awards a free kick. Ben Coker takes the direct free kick.
41:26 The referee blows for offside. Mark Cousins takes the indirect free kick.
39:17 Shot by Paul Murray from 25 yards. Save by Mark Cousins.
38:26 Andy Bond concedes a free kick for a foul on Paul Murray. Evan Horwood takes the direct free kick.
37:29 Header from deep inside the area by Gary Liddle goes over the bar.
35:25 Antony Sweeney concedes a free kick for a foul on Ben Coker. Free kick taken by Matt Heath.
35:02 Foul by Gary Liddle on Lee Beevers, free kick awarded. Lloyd James takes the free kick.
31:38 David Perkins has an effort at goal from just outside the penalty box which goes wide of the left-hand post.
29:47 Evan Horwood delivers the ball, save by Mark Cousins.
28:55 Gary Liddle delivers the ball, Mark Cousins makes a comfortable save.
27:56 Steven Gillespie concedes a free kick for a foul on Paul Murray. Steven Haslam takes the direct free kick.
27:38 Andy Bond produces a drilled left-footed shot from 20 yards. Save by Scott Flinders.
26:34 Steven Gillespie fouled by Steven Haslam, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by Lloyd James.
26:08 A cross is delivered by Lloyd James, Header from close range by Steven Gillespie misses to the right of the goal.
25:25 Effort from 20 yards by Steven Gillespie. Blocked by Sam Collins. Lloyd James takes a outswinging corner from the right by-line to the near post, Scott Flinders makes a save.
24:19 Paul Murray gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on Steven Gillespie. Free kick taken by Lloyd James.
23:03 The offside flag is raised against Steven Gillespie. Free kick taken by Scott Flinders.
21:31 Corner taken right-footed by Lloyd James to the near post, Sam Collins makes a clearance.
20:35 Free kick awarded for a foul by Paul Murray on Kemal Izzet. Direct free kick taken by Matt Heath.
18:41 Antony Sweeney has an effort at goal. Save made by Mark Cousins.
18:21 David Perkins fouled by Antony Sweeney, the ref awards a free kick. Direct free kick taken by David Perkins.
17:48 Shot by David Mooney from just outside the area goes over the net.
17:14 A cross is delivered by James Brown, Adam Boyd takes a shot. Save by Mark Cousins.
16:03 The referee blows for offside. Mark Cousins restarts play with the free kick.
14:56 Free kick awarded for an unfair challenge on Kemal Izzet by Paul Murray. Lloyd James crosses the ball in from the free kick.
13:51 The ball is delivered by Antony Sweeney.
10:52 Ritchie Humphreys challenges Andy Bond unfairly and gives away a free kick. Mark Cousins takes the direct free kick.
9:59 Free kick awarded for a foul by David Mooney on Evan Horwood. Scott Flinders takes the free kick.
Correction - 8:33 A cross is delivered by Steven Haslam, Mark Cousins makes a comfortable save.
8:33 The ball is crossed by Steven Haslam, Mark Cousins makes a save.
7:02 Paul Murray gives away a free kick for an unfair challenge on David Mooney. Ben Coker takes the direct free kick.
5:18 Corner taken left-footed by Evan Horwood, Peter Hartley takes a shot. Clearance by David Perkins.
4:31 David Mooney is adjudged to have handled the ball. Scott Flinders takes the free kick.
2:20 David Mooney is ruled offside. Direct free kick taken by Scott Flinders.
0:00 The ref blows the whistle to start the match.
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