Pools score at last, but win still elusive
Lidds ... goal
By Charlie Summerbell
January 26 2011
From appearing to punch way above their weight and awaking dreams of playing a lead role in the League One promotion play-offs, in less than a month Hartlepool United have slumped to a run of six games without a win and are in desperate need of a boost.
Held to a 1-1 draw by Notts County, Pools had their spells at Victoria Park. But with teenage loan striker Ryan Donaldson making his debut after signing from Newcastle, they came up against the age-old failing in front of goal.
Expecting a teenager to transform an attack which has struggled in front of goal for so long was, of course, too much but boss Mick Wadsworth wasn’t too upset.
He told the Northern Echo: “There are no complaints, a draw was fair. We did OK first-half and were the better team and got a good goal.
“Then they got on top in the second-half, they went a bit direct to be honest and we have struggled to cope with that at times.
“We haven't really hit our stride yet this year, we have done so in patches, but not for 90 minutes.
“We need to get back to where we were when we won five in a row – we are ten, 12, 15 per cent below par throughout the team, but that will come.
“I was pleased in the way we didn't buckle in the second period when in the past we may have done so.”
Pools had gone ahead late in the first half - their first goal since they last won a match, on New Year's Day, and it ended a blank spell of 418 minutes.
Neil Austin's chip caught out the defence and Gary Liddle’s low finish gave him his fourth goal of the season. He went off for the second half after a clash of heads before the goal.
Lee Hughes went on at the break for the visitors and he changed the game, eventually getting the equalizer when he tapped in after sub Karl Hawley headed down.
It was never a great game and Pools are struggling to find the rhythm that served them so well late in 2010. It won’t come this weekend because they are without a game because of Huddersfield’s involvement in the FA cup.
The next game is next Tuesday night at Oldham, a team which has improved a lot since they were Pools’ last victims on New Year’s Day.