Same old story for doomed Pools

Relegation certainties, Hartlepool United are showing few signs of even rescuing their pride as their sorry season limps towards its inevitable conclusion.

Their seventh home defeat on the trot, 2-1 at the hands of an impressive Bournemouth, offered little for the fans to be happy with and even less for them to use as promise for the future.

The basic truth is that despite freak results like the win at Sheffield United, Pools are doomed and far from fighting to void the drop – that is a lolsing battle – what they should be doing is building or life in League Two.

Boss John Hughes told the Northern Echo: “You don’t win if you are giving goals away. We were outplayed first half and yet had the best two chances.

“Second half it was hard to get information over to stop them dictating and when we went on the front foot and gave a go at it we caused problems.

“We give ourselves problems at times. We need to keep a clean sheet, that’s what I’ve got to work on.

“There wasn’t enough composure in passing and I’d like to think we are better in movement and passing.

“Our goal was a cross more than a shot, should have been dealt with and we scored from it.

“We gave a much-improved performance at times but another game has passed us by.’’

Josh McQuoid headed Bournemouth in front in the first half, but Pools gave themselves hope when Jack Baldwin headed his first career goal after Evan Horwood’s free-kick hit the bar and bounced kindly for him.

But when Sam Collins tripped Euan O’Kane, Lewis Grabban scored the winner from the spot and the brief fightback was killed off.

Hughes could go into the transfer market for an on-loan striker after Steve Howard went off with a hamstring injury that could keep him out for some time, but Pools have looked for and signed stop-gap strikers so often in the past that they should know … not many are a success.

Pools go to Portsmouth on Saturday, second bottom v bottom. Hardly a battle of the giants as two doomed teams play out the fixture.