Pressure mounts on Pools after three defeats

Three League One defeats in eight days mean the pressure is really on for Hartlepool when they play Gillingham at Victoria Park on Tuesday night. The danger zone beckons in the middle of a run of difficult games, and a victory against the Gills is vital.

Pools could have got something from Saturday’s game at Bristol Rovers, but lost 2-0 because they couldn’t turn long spells of domination into a goal after conceding an early goal, and home sub Darryl Duffy – yes, THAT Darryl Dufy – added a second for the home team at a time when they were battling to hold their lead.
Unchanged after their improved performance at Charlton in midweek, Pools had been behind from the second minute to a headed goal from a corner by Chris Lines, and realty they only have themselves to blame for losing.
It’s all very well producing a good display of passing and outplaying Rovers for long spells, but totally wasted if you can’t put the ball in the net.
Chris Turner described it as one of the best performances he’s seen from a Pools team for a long time, claiming they totally dominated the game, out-passing a team well-known for their passing game.
A man as experienced as Turner won’t need to be reminded, of course, that the game is about results more than performances and that out-passing a team isn’t quite enough. Goals are what count.
The fact that Rovers keeper Mikkel Andersen, on loan from Reading was named man of the match and that boss Paul Trollope admitted his team did not play well while Pools did underlines how the game went.

It was a frustrating afternoon for Turner and his players after their latest long journey – they can’t afford anything less than a win against Gillingham.