IT remains to be seen whether good things come in small packages, whether mighty oaks from little acorns grow.

While the lure of sixth place may have been dangling, this stalemate put paid to Cherries moving into the League One play-off zone for the first time this season.

However, although three precious points may have eluded them, Lee Bradbury and his men will have taken encouragement from this latest display.

Not surprisingly, both managers were delighted with a clean sheet, even if Bradbury was somewhat deflated at Cherries’ failure to secure a victory.

Although Hartlepool may have showered gifts on their opponents under previous boss Mick Wadsworth, they have become a different proposition since Neale Cooper took charge.

After winning 2-1 at Seward Stadium in September, Wadsworth presided over no fewer than six successive home league defeats and was shown the door at the start of December.

Cooper, who was at the helm between 2003 and 2005, was invited to return for a second spell in the hot-seat and has taken little time to set about reviving Pools’ fortunes.

The Scotsman has overseen a run of five games unbeaten, including four clean sheets, and has steered the Teessiders back on to the coat-tails of the play-off chasers.

Carlisle, one of the teams Cherries had been hoping to leapfrog, would have readily exchanged for a point their 4-0 drubbing at Victoria Park a fortnight ago.

And former Cherries boss Sean O’Driscoll, Cooper’s opposite number in November 2004, would have settled for a draw after two goals in the final two minutes earned Pools a dramatic 3-2 triumph at the venue.

On a day when the weather claimed all but three League One fixtures, promotion hopefuls Sheffield Wednesday would have bitten off your hand for a point rather than succumbed to an unexpected defeat at struggling Exeter.

With 16 games of an already-eventful season remaining, only time will tell how important this share of the spoils will prove to be for Cherries in the final reckoning. Having garnered 32 from their previous 16, the omens look good for another tilt at the play-offs.

Although Victoria Park has not been a fruitful hunting ground for Cherries – with Efan Ekoku netting the only goal of the game in their last win 19 years ago today – it could have been a different story had Steve Cook’s header given them the lead.

The defender, who turned in another outstanding display, almost capped his excellent performance with a goal three minutes before half-time, his bullet header from a Scott Malone corner hacked off the line by Evan Horwood.

It was the clearest chance of the opening period and the closest either team came to scoring during a match which developed into a war of attrition between the respective midfields, played out largely between the two 18-yards boxes rather than inside them.

Even the BBC Radio Tees presenter hesitated as he tried to sell the game when he previewed Saturday’s Football League Show, mindful of the fact highlights had been thin on the ground.

At least the Victoria Park public address announcer had a sense of humour, a rendition of ELO’s Mr Blue Sky greeting the teams as they took to the pitch in freezing conditions and sub-zero temperatures.

Visiting fans who had made the 700-mile round trip to Teesside – including 11 on the official supporters’ coach – must have been concerned after Malone, Marc Pugh and Darryl Flahavan all slipped on the playing surface in the opening few minutes.

But as gritty Cherries defender Simon Francis later revealed: “It was nowhere near as cold as I thought it would be and the pitch was fine. It hardened up a bit towards the end but there were no problems at all.”

Cooper, asked by a homely radio reporter whether he felt referee Craig Pawson had not taken the adverse conditions into consideration before booking four Pools players, replied: “I thought they were all bookings. One or two of our tackles were a wee bit late and I thought the referee was good.”

Flahavan fortunately kept his footing when he back-peddled to save a glancing header from Pools wonderkid Luke James, the 17-year-old going close to drawing first blood after 17 minutes.

The only other noteworthy chance of the first half saw Wes Thomas scoop a left-foot shot over the crossbar following good work by Pugh and Steven Gregory seven minutes before the break.

While chances may have been in short supply for Thomas and Matt Tubbs, the pair worked tirelessly as Cherries defended from the front.

Thomas drew a fine reaction save from Scott Flinders midway through the second half, the Pools goalkeeper diving full length to his right to push the striker’s low drive around the post.

Pools’ appeals for a penalty fell on deaf ears after Colin Nish had gone to ground under a Cook challenge before Peter Sweeney was profligate with the hosts’ best chance, the midfielder blazing his effort over the crossbar with only Flahavan to beat.

And although Donal McDermott and Peter Hartley both went close to breaking the deadlock in the closing stages, a share of the points was the fairest outcome.