THE fixtures have fallen somewhat kindly for Hartlepool United. Six out of seven Saturdays sees them play at home. From October 16 to December 11, there's only one weekend away.

Thankfully, this was it. Which means, on current form, it is the only weekend when the cat gets a kicking, the missus gets the verbal backlash, and a night watching Casualty is more appealing than a night on the town, because Pool's pitiful run of away results won't let up.

Wednesday on Saturday was the eighth League One defeat out of Victoria Park this season and the seventh in succession.

For the team that last season had the best away record in the league, fortunes have turned around to the extent they now have the worst.

It's only the home form - seven wins and two draws from nine - which is keeping them in contention.

Pool won't have a better chance than the one that has just passed them by than to win at Hillsborough.

The Grand Old Lady of League One may be an impressive stage to play football, but they have an act in blue and white stripes that is far from being a big hit.

The Chris Turner factor of last season has gone, and with it a bit of spice, but this was still a win that that would have brought Pool plenty of satisfaction.

And, if Pool were capable of stepping up a gear away from home, it would have been enough.

Wednesday's game plan was to get the ball out wide and test Pool from the flanks. They worked hard, chased and harrassed, but had little flair about them.

Yet they still had enough for the Hartlepool United Away XI.

There was little or none of the football that ripped Lincoln apart the week before, a Ritchie Humphreys chipped effort in the first-half probably the only time keeper David Lucas was tested.

Opposite number Dimi Konstantopoulos was certainly the busier of the two keepers and Pool boss Neale Cooper reckoned the big Greek was one of only two to come out of the game with any credit.

"We have under-performed and you cannot get away with it when only one or two players are on top of their game away from home,'' he reflected.

"That was very disappointing for me - we didn't play any of the football we are capable of and only two players came out of the game with pass marks.

"Too many players never performed and you cannot get away with that.

"Our passing was poor. A couple of times in the first half we opened them up, but our balls, especially from the full back areas were flat.

"We didn't hit our targets and the strikers weren't holding the ball up well enough.

"It's a very disappointing performance. The boys came into the game on the back of four wins and they worked very hard in training all week - then they go to Hillsborough and look what happens.

"We've had some good results and performances - especially last week's against Lincoln when the football we played and the result was good.

"Everyone was confident before this game - not over-confident - but looking forward to it.''

He added: "But our passing and defending -which we have done really well in the last few games - wasn't up to it.

"When you go to places like Hillsborough and they have Branston and Collins at the back, they are two lads who love to attack the ball and tackle.

"You need to get the balls over the top of them, not let them attack it. Branston is strong in the air and that's what he does well, so you can't go and play the ball up to him.

"Play the ball over the top of them or into the channels.''

When Eifion Williams went off at the break, on came Jack Wilkinson. The tiny teenager against Branston was a non-event.

Bringing on David Foley as support and back up proved futile and Pool never threatened.

You have to go back ten years to find a Pool side with an away run as bad as this one.

Keith Houchen's 1994-5 team lost seven in a row and eight out of nine away games.

Looking back and perhaps a team including the likes of Scott Sloan, Keith Oliver and Chris Homer can be forgiven.

But it's a struggle to find reasons why this team - one of the finest assembled at Victoria Park - can match the feat.

There's little doubt that if Pool could have found their travel sickness tablets, this game was there for the taking.

Konstantopoulos was comfortably dealing with whatever The Owls could hit Pool with.

But Wednesday cut Pool open on the right side to open the scoring.

Paul Heckingbottom played a pass inside Ritchie Humphreys for Chris Brunt to race onto and his low cross was steered in by Steven MacLean, after he lost his marker to steal space in the six yard area.

Pool thought they were two down when Matty Robson thumped a cross into his own net, before the assistant referee's flag declared MacLean offside.

But the respite didn't last long. Matty Hamshaw's cross from the left spooned up off Chris Westwood and looped high above Konstantopoulos.

Cooper hinted he was looking for more mental strength and character from his players.

The danger is that this away run becomes a mental thing.

Result: Sheffield Wednesday 2 Hartlepool United 0.

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