Pools let themselves down on season's longest journey

Just when a lot of fans were thinking that a good result could prove to be a significant turning point in Hartlepool United’s season, they managed to lose 3-1 to an Exeter City side that didn’t have to be much better than average to pick up the three points.

Pools have recovered from their inconsistent start to the season and an easy home win over Walsall followed by a comeback point at Stockport suggested they might just be on the way to something good.
But despite taking the lead through Denis Behan’s fourth goal of the season, Pools lost out as Exeter came back for a flattering result and an even more flattering scoreline.
Chris Turner said after the game that Pools had come unstuck because the attack had made some wrong decisions when chances came their way, adding that he felt Exeter’s second goal was offside.
But conceding three goals against a mediocre team is not the sort of defensive form Pools have been showing so far this season, though Turner backed up his theory that it was the team’s attacking output that let them down by taking off James Brown and Andy Monkhouse at half-time, replacing them with Colin Larkin and Jon-Andre Fredriksen.
Turner had suggested he would make changes to use his squad’s strength in depth, but elected not to do so before being forced into replacing Peter Hartley with Steve Haslam before the kick-off after Hartley was injured in the warm-up.
He’s sure to make changes for Tuesday night’s Johnstone’s Paints Trophy game against Grimsby at the Vic, and perhaps more for Friday night’s home League One game against Brentford.
Whatever team he picks, though, Pools have to do better than they did on Saturday if they want to take their recent improvement on to the next stage.