Danny Wilson's men lost out 2-1 to Sheffield Wednesday in this gruelling Carling Cup Second Round tie but Pools pushed The Owls all the way - with the winner not coming until the 120th minute of the game.
Pools defence will certainly know they've been in a game this evening as they were pushed to the limit by a lively Sheffield Wednesday side and stood right up to the challenge.
Jan Budtz was given no time to ease his way into the game at Hillsborough this evening as the big Pools' keeper faced two tough strikes inside the first five minutes - and this proved a sign of things to come for him.
A great break down the right by Jermaine Johnson caught the Pools defence slightly off guard and the pacy winger played a neat ball inside which found Glenn Whelan in space. Whelan curled a great shot goalwards and Budtz reacted well to throw himself full stretch and tip the effort wide for a corner kick.
But the big stopper's work wasn't finished there as he was forced to pull off an impressive block to keep out Marcus Tudgay's point-blank header from the resulting corner.
Pools were really tested in defence for much of the game by a fast-moving Wednesday side who went on to further threaten Jan Budtz in the visiting goal.
Simek poked a dangerous ball into the box from the right which needed just a touch to beat Budtz - fortunately for Pools Tudgay's final contact was too much and the ball sailed high over the bar.
Budtz was called into action again just minutes later as the hosts built on their early pressure. A thunderous strike from Simek on the edge of the area pulled a great reaction save from the Pools keeper and, with Whelan following up with the rebound, Michael Nelson was alert to block that ball wide of target.
With Jamie McCunnie clearing a Burton effort off the line, Pools did well to absorb a big period of pressure from Sheffield Wednesday and, although Pools did begin to enjoy more possession, Brian Law's men always looked dangerous on the break.
The introduction of David Foley in place of the injured Willie Boland gave Pools a more attacking edge and within minutes of the young striker joining the action, Wilson's men came closest to scoring.
A good move from Gary Liddle down the left took the ball to the touchline - Liddle then tipped it into the box where James Brown looked set to smash home, only to slip when less than ten yards from goal, allowing the defence to clear.
As the half neared its end, Pools looked more lively and Richard Barker saw his powerful headed effort deflected just wide of the far post as he made contact with a Humphreys' left-sided corner kick.
With the half time whistle arriving, Danny Wilson's men would need to build on their later first-half showing and snatch the momentum away from Wednesday.
And Pools did look brighter after the break, with David Foley looking lively and Brown niggling away at the home defence when Wilson's men managed to break. But Wednesday remained a dangerous prospect going forward and when Brown was dispossessed on the right wing, the hosts came desperately close to scoring.
The ball was played forward for the determined Tudgay who found himself in a great position with only Budtz to beat but once again the Pools stopper showed impressive reactions to get down and block out of the danger area.
Budtz remained the busiest man on the pitch for the opening exchanges of the second period and when Kenny Lunt curled in a teasing corner from the left, Marcus Tudgay once again arrived to fire a header at goal, but with the Pools' keeper making another step closer to the man of the match award, he reacted well to tip the effort over the bar.
With 55 minutes on the clock, the game took a big swing in Pools' direction - a great ball in from Brown on the right found Foley in the area and the striker's powerful shot at goal deflected off Ian Moore and into the roof of the net, giving the striker his first goal for the Club.
Sheffield Wednesday then had vociferous appeals for a penalty waved away by referee Andy Penn when Nelson threw himself into a challenge in the area and, although the ball seemed to hit the big defender's arm, it was clearly unintentional.
The dangerous Jermaine Johnson, whose pace down the right made him a constant threat, made his mark on the game when he burst forward right to the edge of the area and thread through a quality ball for Burton who slotted the ball through the legs of Budtz and into the back of the net, drawing the two teams level.
The Wednesday pair combined again minutes later but this time it was Jan Budtz who came out on top as the keeper once again pulled off a great stop to push the ball wide. Jermaine Johnson, who stood out in the second half, almost made it 2-1 but his lashed effort from the right of target went just wide of the far post.
Pools faced an onslaught of pressure as the ninety minutes ticked away and every one of the eleven on the pitch were called upon to defend at some time - with sub Andy Monkhouse kicking clear and Richard Barker also helping out with defensive duties.
Wilson's men saw their biggest chance to re-take the lead with five minutes left on the clock; David Foley squared a ball across goal and Monkhouse arrived to get a touch but saw his effort sail back across the goalmouth and out of play.
With 89 minutes on the clock, Johnson looked to have sealed the win when he unleashed an absolute thunderbolt towards goal, which beat Budtz only to strike the post and bounce back in to play where a relieved Nelson cleared to safety.
Despite three minutes of additional time, neither side found the breakthrough and the game moved into extra time.
Pools had their own chances in the first period of extra time, with sub Joel Porter working away, Richard Barker headed just wide and Foley latched onto a Liddle back heel but fired over when in a good position.
But as time progressed, it was once again the hosts who looked most dangerous and Pools were forced to defend in numbers. Godwin Antwi was forced to kick clear on two occasions and when Lunt tested Budtz with a powerful drive at goal, the keeper reacted well to tip his effort round the post.
With both teams tiring and keen not to concede so late in the game, the second period was slightly slower from both teams, though chances did arrive at both ends. A good ball into the box from Foley found Porter in good space in the area but the Aussie striker struck the ground as he went to shoot and Wednesday cleared straight up field.
With the break on for the hosts, Pools looked stretched at the back as Luke Boden burst down the right but with the ball played into the box, Budtz showed he was still on fire when he produced a great one-handed block to keep out Johnson's effort.
And then the cruellest blow came for Pools - as Michael Nelson was caught in possession in the middle of the pitch, the hosts burst forward into the area, and while Budtz blocked Johnson's initial shot, the ball fell to Nelson and the ball hit the big defender and fell into the path of Yoann Folly and rolled into the back of the net.
After such a solid defensive display from Pools, it was a cruel ending to the game but Danny Wilson's men will regroup and switch their focus now to Saturday's League One game with Oldham Athletic.
Pools: Budtz, McCunnie, Nelson, Antwi, Humphreys, Brown (Monkhouse 75), Liddle, Boland (Foley 36), Robson, Barker, Moore (Porter 91)
Subs Not Used: Lee-Barrett, Clark
Sheffield Wednesday: Burch, Simek, Hinds, Wood, Spurr, Johnson, Whelan, Lunt (Folly 107), O'Brien (Boden 107), Burton, Tudgay (Bullen 92)
Subs Not Used: Grant, Gilbert
