Stockport had to settle for a League Two play-off place after Callum Cooke’s second-half strike cancelled out Callum Camps’ penalty to give Hartlepool a 1-1 draw at Edgeley Park.

County needed to beat the already-relegated Pools and hope Northampton – who overcame Tranmere 1-0 – fail to win if they were to snatch the final automatic promotion place.

But Dave Challinor’s side will now have to negotiate the play-offs if they are to join the Cobblers in League One.

County deservedly led at half-time through Camps, who won and scored a penalty in the 39th minute.

His charge into the box saw him felled by former Stockport striker Connor Jennings and he emphatically converted.

By then, goalkeeper Ben Killip had kept Hartlepool in it with saves from Camps and Jack Stretton.

The visitors also needed a goal-line clearance by centre-back Matty Dolan to deny Fraser Horsfall.

Horsfall later had the ball in the net, rising highest to head home Kyle Knoyle’s corner. But, after a long consultation with his assistant, referee Tom Reeves ruled it out for a foul.

The second half continued in a similar vein but, just after the hour mark, Cooke struck a fine equaliser from outside the box.

Paddy Madden went agonisingly close to a winner for Stockport but his first-time shot was tipped onto the bar by Killip who, moments later, denied Knoyle with a terrific last-ditch block.

Killip also pushed away a fierce drive from Camps in stoppage time and then saved Camps’ second penalty, awarded for a handball by Dolan after 95 minutes, to preserve the draw.