Rudderless Pools face survival battle

Forget flirting with success and forget mid-table mediocritY - on their latest form all Hartlepool United are facing in League One this season is a battle for survival. And the way they played in the home humiliation against Carlisle, it's a battle they will lose.

Losing 5-0 at home to Sheffield Wednesday in September was bad enough, but it appears Pools haven’t learned the lessons they were given in that game and Carlisle strolled their way to as easy an away win as any team is likely to enjoy all season.
It was a result and a performance that left Pools caretaker boss Mick Wadsworth almost lost for words.
He told the Northern Echo: “For all my career, I've never been at this point. Same system, so organised away from home, playing at home we look a soft touch.
“First 20 minutes we were the better team, had the better chances. We are naïve, no-one stood on the ball for the free-kick for the first goal, but it was against the run of play.
“When the second goal came, again they hadn't had a chance in our box. I have to say their strikers killed us, absolutely killed us.''
Yet amazingly, he’s convinced there won’t be another disaster at Plymouth on Saturday. He said: “I'm not worried about Saturday, not at all as I know we will get a performance. I know the history here from looking into it and I know what happens here.”
So do the fans, Mick, and they are getting fed up of it.
Nobody can deny the good IOR and Ken Hodcroft have done Pools since they took control of the club more than a decade ago, but just when a touch of urgency was needed to fill the void left when Chris Turner quit early in the season, the reaction at the top has been disappointing.
Pools are in limbo on and off the pitch, and at the moment the club has all the hallmarks of lacking direction and leadership.
So does the team.
Defender Lubo Michalik blasted Carlisle in front from 40 yards, and Pools never recovered. County Durham-based striker Gary Madine then took hold of the game, first firing in Ben Marshall's pass then tapping in after a Francois Zoko shot was saved. He completed his hat-trick midway through the second half from 20 yards.
He had appeared in court on a pub assault charge earlier in the day, but ended it with the sort of personal contrast he could only have dreamed about.
Madine has been told he could face jail for the offence, Pools meanwhile are facing more than just one problem.
On this showing, the defence is too slow, the midfield lacks ideas and the attack is short of bite.
They don’t need a manager, they need a miracle ... starting in deepest Devon on Saturday.