HARTLEPOOL UNITED have been here before; but this time it’s far more precarious.

After losing at Plymouth, they returned home with plenty of time to stew over their uneasy position in the Football League.

When it happened in 2001 they were bottom, right at the foot of the pile. This time after a 2-0 defeat they fell to second bottom.

However, while they may be better off in being one place higher, for now at least, there’s no chance of a repeat and a run of form to take them to the play-offs come the end of the season like they managed then.

Finishing outside of the bottom two could be termed a success this time out.

The stagnated club of 2014 is different to the flourishing one of 2001 in so many ways.

Pools are in a slump, on and off the pitch, and it’s one which they cannot get themselves out of. It’s more than just a blip.

Defeat at Home Park means Pools have, in the last week, travelled 1,164 miles, conceded seven goals and scored one.

In 2014 they have won eight games, lost 19, scored 30 and conceded 48. In their last 20 outings, only four have been victories.

You have to go back a long time, to the final days of the Garry Gibson era, for there to be such ill feeling and discontent among supporters.

There’s a lack of investment pinning the club down, all underpinned by a paucity of communication from the top. Regularly citing Financial Fair Play rules doesn’t wash anymore after two big money sales in the last nine months (although to be fair, the big fees don’t come in one big swoop).

Colin Cooper isn’t able to make many inroads on the transfer front, relying too much on making loan signings, and the squad is neither good enough in quality nor big enough in numbers.

That has been clear in the last week. Since Charlie Wyke – a loan signing from Middlesbrough – was knocked out at Northampton after 20-odd minutes, Pools’ failings have been shown up.

Marlon Harewood had one of his livelier games at Home Park, but never looked like scoring and won’t make double figures. The odd cameo – Wimbledon away this season, Morecambe at home last – isn’t enough.

Defensively, elementary mistakes cost them two goals. Similar problems saw them ship five last Tuesday.

They started a bit shaky at Home Park, perhaps understandable after the Northampton capitulation, but seemed to settle after conceding.

They had their share of the ball, keeping it and passing and probing, but were let down by their final ball, be it a shot, pass or cross.

Jack Compton was bright and inventive wide, while lacking real composure when it mattered.

Right on half-time, Harewood teed up Jonathan Franks inside the area. He should have scored to make it 1-1, but instead got too close to keeper Luke McCormick and his low, clipped finish was kept out by the keeper’s leg.

They kept the ball well in the second-half, and looked like they should have had a penalty when Ryan Brobbel was bundled over in the area. That’s four times he’s had strong cases for a spot kick this season and four times he’s been denied.

But after conceding 15 minutes from the start, Pools did the same 15 minutes before the end.

A long pass from deep saw the back four step up and try and catch Nathan Thomas offside, but the flag didn’t go up and he ran away to finish well. It was the first time the home side posed any threat since their goal.

“It’s been a long week, being brutally honest,’’ said Cooper.

“The players themselves set about lifting themselves and I was pleased with it. Whatever we do, once they cross the white line, we are very limited in impact from the sidelines.

“So they did a good job and I felt they were ready. But the nature of the first goal means you have to go again. And I felt we did that until the last few minutes when we conceded again.

“So 15 minutes in, and 15 minutes from the end, we were disappointing. It was in between where we looked good. We should not have conceded 15 minutes from the start and the second we have to lock the back door.’’ Cooper added: “I’m not going to complain about the second goal, but I will the first one as a former defender. The second goal sees Plymouth over the line when we should be back in it ourselves.

“It’s frustrating not getting in the game when we had enough of the ball.

“It’s about making the right decisions, the right pass, the right ball. To be fair to Luke McCormick, he comes out quick to save, but with all due respect it should be one-each.

“It’s very frustrating. Should we have had a penalty? I’m not sure until I’ve seen it again, but Ryan isn’t getting any help from officials.’’

Match facts

Goals: 
1-0: Morgan (15, took a pass into feet, turned Richards and fired in low)
2-0: Thomas (75, broke away past a failed offside trap and finished one on one well)
Bookings: None
Referee: James Linington (Isle of Wight): A quiet game, Pools weren’t happy with the lack of offside call for the second goal, but it seemed the right call 7
Attendance: 6,146
Entertainment: 2/5

PLYMOUTH ARGYLE (4-4-2): McCormick 6; Mellor 6, Nelson 6, Hartley 5 (McHugh 56, 5), Purrington 6; Allesandra 6, Cox 6, O’Connor 5, Blizzard 6; Reid 6 (Thomas 46, 6), MORGAN 6 (Harvey 86). Subs (not used): Bittner (gk), Norburn, Allen, Bentley. 
HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2): 
6 Flinders: Had to be alert throughout, twice beaten but nothing he could do about them. Good save to prevent a late third;
5 Richards: Steady away on the whole, but allowed Morgan to turn too easily for the first goal
5 Bates: Saw plenty of the ball at the back and an option when it came to retaining possession 
5 Harrison: Seemed to be the defender who played Thomas onside for the second goal which  finished the game off
6 Austin: Early battle out wide and came through it well. Got tighter to his opponent this time; 
5 Brobbel: One of his quieter games of his spell so far. Looked like he should have been awarded a second-half penalty as Pools trailed by one
5 Walker: Didn’t have a big impact on the game in midfield and Cooper claimed he should have cut out the pass for second goal
6 Miller: Kept possession in midfield, used the ball and went closest to equalising in the second half when he fired over 
6 COMPTON: Saw more of the ball than any other Pools player, tried to engineer openings out wide and was lively – even if end product wasn’t always there; 
6 Franks: Full of running and movement, but his miss in first-half injury time proved so decisive and costly for Pools
5 Harewood: Was involved plenty and won his share of the ball, but never looked a threat on goal and much more is needed. 
Subs: 
Woods (for Franks 63): Didn’t make much impact on the game after his arrival 5
Holden (for Brobbel 76)
(not used): Collins, Hawkins, Jones, Duckworth, Woodman (gk)
MAN OF THE MATCH
MARVIN Morgan – scored and was one to try and keep in check throughout, a week after his partner gave birth to a boy in Newcastle.