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The game started as brightly as the sunny weather with two goals in the opening eight minutes. Hartlepool took a fifth minute lead only for Scunthorpe to level three minutes later.
Michael Proctor fired the early opener from 15 yards after Boyd had headed on a throw-in from the right - the former Sunderland man's third goal in two home games.
But three minutes later Sharp equalised from close range after the home defence failed to clear the penalty area and Scunthorpe's third attempt to get the ball deep into the area paid off for the visitors.
On 15 minutes Dimi Konstantopoulos saved well from another Sharp shot, while at the other end Paul Musselwhite made a one-handed save from a Tony Sweeney header four minutes later.
But much of the rest of the first half was a dreary affair dominated by some strange refereeing decision by Tyne and Wear's Colin Webster.
The game came to life again just before the break when Konstantopoulos saved bravely at the feet of Sharp when a goal looked certain, then Musselwhite dived to his right to hold a shot from Micky Nelson after a long right-wing throw.
Five minutes after half-time, Sharp rifled Scunthorpe ahead with a great finish after an awful clearance from Neill Collins.
And on 64 minutes Sharp lived up to his name again with a great run and cross from the left that was finished with a brilliant ten-yard volley by Andy Keogh.
Scunthorpe looked to be coasting, but on 70 minutes substitute Eifion Williams narrowed the gap after Musselwhite failed to hold a shot from Proctor, and that set up a frantic finish and that dramatic last minute.