IT may have stopped Grimsby Town's dismal run of defeats but there is no doubt that the Mariners should have taken more than a point against Gateshead last night.
After Andi Thanoj had put them in front less than three minutes into the second-half, it looked like Rob Scott and Paul Hurst's side were going to end their winless run of five games.
But when the Heed won a hotly disputed free-kick 11 minutes from time, Josh Gillies pulled his side level with a well-taken set-piece to deny the Mariners a much-needed three points.
Joint bosses Scott and Hurst sprang something of a surprise by appearing to opt for a 4-3-3 formation.
Craig Disley was due to start in the heart of that midfield alongside Andi Thanoj and Tom Naylor, but the skipper was forced to pull out at the last minute, with Dougie Wilson coming in for his debut.
Dayle Southwell was handed a rare opportunity to partner Lenell-John Lewis and Jamie Devitt in attack, with Andy Cook and Ross Hannah named among the substitutes.
Elsewhere, Bradley Wood replaced Sam Hatton in the only other change from Sunday's FA Trophy final defeat to Wrexham at Wembley in front of 35,000 fans.
And so, in the relatively humble and unfamiliar surroundings of Hartlepool's Victoria Park, the game got underway in an atmosphere more akin to a reserve game.
There were only a couple of hundred fans – most of them from North East Lincolnshire – having braved the wintry weather.
The Mariners were bright enough in the opening exchanges, showing no ill-effects from that heart-breaking penalty shoot-out defeat in the capital.
Despite that, it was the 'home' side who claimed the game's first shot on target in the 13th minute.
On-loan Jake Fowler was afforded plenty of room on the left-hand side and when he found James Brown in the middle the front man spun and struck a low shot that James McKeown claimed with ease.
Other than that, and a long range effort that Gillies skewed over, that was the only meaningful effort of a tame opening half hour as heavy snow began to fall on the near-empty stadium.
But Town nearly had their chance to open the scoring just a minute later when a backward header almost ran through to Naylor in the box.
However, the Derby County man couldn't bring the ball under control and a grateful Adam Bartlett gathered in the Heed goal.
Ten minutes before the break, Devitt was chopped down no more than a yard outside the box.
The Irishman dusted himself down to take the kick and struck a powerful curling effort that cannoned back off the face of the bar with Bartlett rooted to the spot.
In Pictures: Gateshead v Grimsby Town
And seconds before the break, Town had their best chance of the half.
Southwell picked up the ball deep and drove at the back four before playing in Devitt on the angle, his cross fell to John-Lewis, who miscued and Naylor volleyed over the rebound.
It was the last action of a half where the conditions had determined much of the play and referee Backhouse signalled for half-time, giving both sets of players a chance to defrost in the dressing room.
Suitably warmed-up, Town started brightly in the second half.
And when Southwell won a free-kick deep in Gateshead's half, they were ahead within three minutes of the restart.
The set-piece was worked short to Thanoj on the edge of the box and the Albanian hit a crisp shot that arrowed past Barlett and into the bottom corner to bring the hardy clan of Mariners fans to their feet.
Scott and Hurst's men nearly doubled their advantage minutes later when Naylor's looping header drifted just wide of Bartlett's far post from Devitt's devilish cross.
John-Lewis followed up that effort with a sharp snapshot that was deflected behind, while minutes later, Thomas fired a thunderous drive just wide as the Mariners began to get on top.
Devitt then cut inside and caught a rasping effort that struck the inside of the post and rolled across the box as he was frustrated by the woodwork for the second time in the game.
But with less than 15 minutes to go, Gateshead looked to be in when Fowler took the ball in his stride and burst into the box, but the back-tracking Wood stuck in a leg to deny him.
The hosts were enjoying a rare spell of pressure and when they won a soft free-kick ten yards outside of the box, Gillies got them back on terms against the run of play.
The top-scorer grabbed his 11th of the season with a curling, dipping free-kick that beat McKeown at his right-hand post.
After dominating the second half, Town had now surrendered their lead and found themselves hunting a goal they so desperately needed.
The joint bosses responded by making a double change that saw Andy Cook and Marcus Marshall replace John-Lewis and Southwell respectively four minutes from time.
But time quickly ran out for the visitors, who only took a point from a game that for so long looked like offering all three.
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![Match Report: Gateshead 1 Grimsby Town 1]( "Match Report: Gateshead 1 Grimsby Town 1")
