HARTLEPOOL United's play-off dream is over and it ended in the harshest possible way.

Last night they gave a heroic display at Cheltenham and after 120 mintes of action ended 1-1, the prize of a Third Division play-off dream with a final against Rusden was taken away when Ritchie Humpheys' sudden death spot kick hit the bar and came out without crossing the line.

Paul Arnison gave Pool the lead, they were pegged back by Lee Williams and despite enjoying the better of the game, it all boiled down to spot kicks.

The penalty track record was good - Pool beat Scarborough in 1996 and Preston on spot kicks in 1999, and in keeper Anthony Williams they had a man who had stopped four last season.

Neil Grayson scored first from the spot, Paul Smith levelled, Martyn Lee scored, but the advantage was handed to Cheltenham when Paul Stephenson blazed over.

When Mark Yates scored Pool were 3-1 down, but Arnison netted. Mike Duff's shot flew wide and Kevin Henderson had to score he did to make it 3-3.

John Finnigan's success meant the pressure was on Gordon Watson to take it to sudden death and he made no mistake.

Julian Alsop converted and next up was Humphreys. His shot beat the keeper, hit the bar and bounced agonisingly along the line and referee Andy Hall ruled it hadn't crossed the line.

Pool, given an heroic reception from their travelling support, were beaten and consigned to another season in Division Three.

At the start the nerves so evident at Victoria Park on Saturday were missing; both teams were up for this one - and with a final berth at stake, so they should have been.

Six minutes gone and Graeme Lee met Paul Smith's corner to head wide of the far post and Paul Arnison, in at right wing back, slid a low effort wide of the mark.

Gordon Watson, so ineffectual on Saturday, was spoken to by referee Andy Hall on ten minutes and a minute later went into the book after a jostling with the Cheltenham defence.

The only chances in the opening stages were coming from Pool. Arnison set up Paul Stephenson, but just like before, the shot was pulled wide. Next time, however, it was a different story.

Stephenson's free-kick wasn't cleared and when the ball fell for Arnison he thundered a shot under Steve Book which spun high into the net. Arnison went wild after scoring, racing in front of the home support before being pounced on by his teammates, and his excessive celebrations saw him follow Watson into the book.

When Eifion Williams netted on Saturday, it was the first time in five play-off games they had been in front. Then, they couldn't keep the lead and they had 73 minutes to claim victory.

There was a scare on 24 minutes when Julian Alsop's flick evaded Antony Williams who came rushing off his line.

But minutes later it was all-square as the home side netted with their first shot. Cheltenham were finally starting to earn some possession and Lee Williams collected the ball 20 yards out and thundered a rising shot into the roof of the net. Williams agonisingly got a touch to the shot, but it wasn't enough.

Eifion Williams almost put Pool back in front, Watson touched on a long clearance and his shot was defleted wide. Darrell Clarke then suffered an identical fate from the set-piece when he struck a 12-yard shot. With the stakes so high, the game was always on the edge of boiling over. Pool were incensed at a quick run of dubious decisions which went against Turner's side. And Pool striker Williams was yellow carded - Pool's third caution - five minutes before the break.

Stephenson's shot was spilled by Book and the Welshman slid in, but failed to connect with the ball and instead caught the keeper.

Pool again fanned out in a 3-5-2 line-up and they looked comfortable from the start. If anyone thought Chris Westwood would suffer after his attemped clearance led to Cheltenham's late leveller on Saturday, they were drastically wrong.

Back in tandem with Micky Barron and Graeme Lee in a three-man defence, the trio was as comfortable as ever. Lee was again handling big Alsop without too much difficulty and Barron was impressive organising and sweeping in his spare man role.

Twelve minutes into the second half Clarke should have put Pool back in front. Watson and Eifion Williams cut through the defence and Clarke spooned his close range effort over the bar and into the 1,150 travelling fans packed behind the goal.The only worry, however, was Pool failing to convert their superiority into goals.

Clarke was starting to move into advanced positions and his link-up with the strikers had the home defence worried to the extent that Jamie Victory had to chop Williams with the striker on goal

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