"Suicidal" Pools dumped out of the JP Cup

“What can I do? We can't change the players.”  How many times have we seen quotes like that from Hartlepool United managers over the years? Mick Wadsworth wheeled the old chestnut out again after his team’s Johnstone’s Paints flop at Sheffield Wednesday, where rubbish defending gave the home side an easy ticket into the northern semi-finals.

If Pools play like that against Brighton at Victoria Park on Saturday, League One’s runaway leaders will have to chance to do what Wednesday and Carlisle have already done at the Vic and bang in a few goals in an easy win.
Wadsworth has made it clear to the players that they can’t expect to get away with the sort of defensive errors they made in this game.
He told the Northern Echo: “It was suicide. We should be called Suicide United, not Hartlepool. Goals two, three and four were gifts, we didn't communicate and defend.
“We have to do better. But we got back into it, had chances, came in at 2-1, tails up.
“Then everything went out of the window.”
Neil Mellor gave the Owls a two goal lead before Antony Sweeney set up Fabien Yantorno for a good reply, and Pools were back in it.
Mellor completed his hat trick with a penalty after being fouled by Sam Collins and Gary teale completed the scoring as Wednesday finished Pools off easily.
We already knew that Pools are short of a natural goal poacher, or at least they are while the likes of Adam Boyd an d James Brown are out, and now we’ve had further evidence that the defence is liable to be bad as well.
Midfield’s a bit flaky at times, too … no wonder the doom-mongers are saying it’s going to be a long, hard winter.
Mick Wadsworth is on record saying he feels the team can do better … he must be fed up of waiting for them to prove him right. There can only be one answer to his question on what he can do - cross everything.
Pools need a big bounce-back against Brighton … hands up anybody who’s going to put any money on a home win.