This game was a classic cup tie but not the result Albion wanted in front of a poor crowd of just 2,545.

Hartlepool started the better side with a couple of efforts put wide, but it was Albion who took the lead.

Cox passed the ball out to Fleetwood who pulled it back for McLeod, who brilliantly chipped the ball over the keeper. Albion started to take hold of the game. In the 38th minute Fleetwood got the ball again and passed to Cox who drilled it home and Brighton went in at half time with a comfortable lead or so we thought.

Within eight minutes Hartlepool had pulled a goal back, a cross from the left was met by the diving Hawkins who put it into his own net. Two minutes later another defensive mix up by Hawkins allowed Brown in to level the game. Fourteen minutes later another defensive mistake by Richards and then Hawkins let Monkhouse in to score and Hartlepool had turned the game around and they were 3-2 up!

Albion introduced Fraser, Robinson and Forster to try and salvage something from the game and luckily they did from a corner. The ball fell to Fleetwood at the back post who smacked it in and forced a replay at Victoria Park a week on Tuesday.

Overall a disappointing result as we had a comfortable lead. The prize if we beat Hartlepool is an away trip to either Leiston or Fleetwood.

My match ratings:
Sullivan 5
Whing 5
Elphick 5
Hawkins 1
Richards 4
Cox 6
Thomson 2
El-Abd 4
Mcleod 6
Virgo 4
Fleetwood 7

Forster 6
Robinson 5
Fraser 5