League Two: Stevenage v Hartlepool United - match report

There was 10 minutes to go when Ben Killip threw the ball from his hands a couple of yards in front of him.

The Pools keeper was completely unaware of Rose in behind him though and when the striker ran round to claim it, it brought panic to the Hartlepool stopper.

A few seconds later he was on his backside with Rose rolling the ball into an empty net to the delight of the Lamex Stadium.

That was enough for the 1-0 win and to keep Boro second in League Two while increasing Hartlepool's relegation fears.

Truth is though this wasn't a good performance from the home side but isn't it a mark of a good side that can get three points without being at their best?

Steve Evans went with two changes from the side that were knocked out of the Carabao Cup by Charlton Athletic.

Bringing goalkeeper Taye Ashby-Hammond in for Aaron Chapman was perhaps expected.

Alex Gilbey's return was nailed on after being forced to miss out on the game against his parent club by the terms of the loan agreement.

He replaced Michael Bostick in the starting line-up who moved to the bench alongside Jake Reeves, the midfielder recovering sufficiently enough from the illness that had him absent on Tuesday.

He was on surprisingly quick too, replacing Jake Taylor on 37 minutes with the outgoing man not looking best pleased.

Boro needed a change at that point because they had been second best after a half-decent opening.

The like for like swap was not perhaps the one expected but it did at least afford Boro to get on the front foot and have a couple of half chances without truly bothering Ben Killip in the Pools goal.

Ashby-Hammond hadn't really been flustered either but the away side should really have been in front.

Josh Umerah had the two big chances, both when he found himself unmarked in the box.

The first came from a Reghan Tumilty cross that landed on the head of the striker but he put his header off the top of the crossbar.

The second was a bit closer to goal with the ball arriving to him from a knock down. He shanked that effort wide of the post.

There was something missing though from the Boro ranks, a spark that was not driving them forward.

Luke Norris and Carl Piergianni had chances but both were off target by a good distance and Gilbey had a late effort blocked, as well as picking up a yellow card.

Boro had opted for a back four, moving Terence Vancooten into the defensive midfield position at the base of a diamond.

That was the big change at the start of the second half as the back three were reunited, Reeves sitting just in front of them.

It did allow Max Clark and Luther James-Wildin more opportunity to go forward and they took the chance immediately.

But the passes from them and their team-mates continued to frustrate and disappoint and Pools were having just as much joy going the other way, a fact which brought the Boro management trio of Evans, Paul Raynor and Alex Revell out to the sideline for a council of war.

It led to a triple change and more tinkering with the tactical shape, Jamie Reid joining Rose up front with Dean Campbell playing in behind Reeves and Arthur Read.

It still didn't produce the desired effect and it was starting to look like one of those days, with Hartlepool well worth their point.

It turned out it was one of those days after all but for a completely different reason.

Stevenage: Aahby-Hammond, James-Wildin, Clark (Earley 65), Piergianni, Sweeney, J.Taylor (Reeves 37), Norris (Reid 65), Vancooten, Read (Bostwick 84), Gilbey (Campbell 65), Rose.

Subs (not used): Chapman, Amoo.

Goal: Rose 80

Booked: Gilbey 42

Hartlepool United: Killip, Ferguson, Murray, Featherstone, Umerah (Grey 76), Cooke (McDonald 85), Paterson, Hamilton, Sylla, Tumilty, Robinson (Oduor 81).

Subs (not used): Letheren, Hastie, E.Taylor, Ndjoli.

Booked: Umerah 27, Hamilton 39, Paterson 76, Killip 77

HT: Stevenage 0 Hartlepool United 0

Referee: Carl Boyeson (Hull)

Attendance: 3,628 (276 from Hartlepool)