Pools lost out 2-0 to a solid Millwall side at The New Den this afternoon, with two first-half goals enough to seal victory for Kenny Jackett's side.
Danny Wilson's men failed to find that killer touch in front of goal in a game in which Millwall looked comfortable in victory.
The game got off to a poor start for Pools with the hosts taking the lead after just two minutes of play.
Millwall really burst out of the blocks and took full advantage of their bright start with the very early opener. Neil Harris picked up possession 20 yards out on goal and lobbed a great ball over the Pools' defence which found Lewis Grabban running into the box from the right channel; he picked up possession, ran into the area and, despite Lee-Barrett coming out to narrow the angle, Grabban fired a low drive past the keeper and into he bottom left corner of the net.
Pools took some time to find their feet after the goal and Millwall looked something of a threat with every one of their early attacks. Gary Alexander saw his powerful header go just wide of target while Sam Collins did well to header a Harris effort off the line.
As the half moved on, Wilson's men enjoyed more of the possession without really looking a big threat in front of goal - Gary Liddle's ball into the box from the right narrowly escaped the attentions of the arriving central defensive pair of Nelson and Collins while James Brown was left frustrated after a good move down the left.
The hosts went close to doubling their lead on the 16 minute mark when David Martin blasted a stinging shot along the ground in the box but his effort edged just wide of Lee-Barrett's right hand post.
Wilson's men looked more at ease in the latter part of the first half as they dealt well with Millwall's physical approach to the game but just as Pools looked to be upping their own pressure, they were dealt a sucker punch at the other end.
Great work by Grabban in the 40th minute inside the box saw the lively winger twist and turn his way past Ritchie Humphreys and fire in a pacy shot at goal, which Lee-Barrett saved impressively with an out-stretched hand.
But the big keeper's block saw Alexander react quickest and he pounced on the ball to head home at the left post, despite last-ditch efforts from Antony Sweeney on the line.
So Pools went in 2-0 down at half time and, to make matters worse Michael Nelson suffered a knee injury in a challenge with Nadjim Abdou and the influential defender was unable to return to the field after the break.
Alan Power replaced Nelson with Gary Liddle dropping back into the centre of defence alongside Sam Collins.
But Pools came out positively for the second half and had their best chance of the game so far when Joel Porter fed Brown in the box but his strike from close-range was well blocked by David Forde in the Millwall goal.
Gary Liddle was perhaps fortunate to remain on the pitch on the 50th minute mark when he lost possession to Gary Alexander on the edge of the area and then went in a little strongly for the challenge to prevent the forward from powering into the box - luckily the referee showed only a yellow card to the makeshift defender with the presence of Sam Collins arriving back to cover the influencing factor.
Determination inside the area from James Brown set the ball up for sub Power on the edge of the box but his fierce drive went high over the bar as Pools tried to find some way back into this game.
Pools though were left frustrated in any attempts to really push on for a goal as Millwall battled hard to protect the clean sheet and a goal for Wilson's men always looked unlikely.
Lee-Barrett pulled off an impressive save to deny Alexander with a real thunderous strike from the right side of the box late in the game to deny the hosts a third.
Pools didn't stop working and plugging away right to the death here at The New Den but that killer touch in front of goal was missing this afternoon much to the advantage of the hosts and the frustration of Wilson's side.
And so the game ended 2-0 to Millwall who looked comfortable in victory - Pools will next be back in action on Friday night when Cheltenham Town visit The Vic and Danny Wilson will be looking for his side to get straight back on track.
Pools: Lee-Barrett, McCunnie, Nelson (Power 46), Collins, Humphreys, Monkhouse (Barker 69), Liddle, Sweeney, Robson (Foley 61), Porter, Brown
Subs Not Used: Budtz, Mackay
Millwall: Forde, Robinson, Whitbread, Alexander, Harris (Brkovic 61), Grabban (Grimes 90), Hackett (Frampton 81), Craig, Martin, Fuseini, Abdou
Subs Not Used: Edwards, Moore
