HARTLEPOOL United and live games don't go together well.

In their fourth televised appearance, they yesterday suffered their fourth defeat as Pool went down in front of the Sky Sports cameras.

After defeats to Halifax, Hereford and Nottingham Forest in recent years, Bournemouth added their name to the black list.

Pool stay top of the league, Saturday's results saw to that, but they left the south coast disapppointed they were unable to show the watching nation the brand of stylish football which has taken them to the top of the table.

Because after Micky Barron was sent off minutes after Eifion Williams put Pool in front, Pool were on the back foot for long, long spells. This wasn't about showboating for the cameras, it was all about defending.

With ten men and playing into the gusty elements, the second-half was about how long Pool could hold onto their lead.

Perhaps if it was 11 against 11 for 90 minutes, it could have been so different, but Barron's dismissal left Pool up against it.

The conditions at the Fitness First Stadium were so bad, it looked like Pool fans back home making the most of the live novelty in the comfort of the pubs had the better deal. With swirling wind and driving rain this was Seaton Carew on a January night; it felt like the Arctic Circle.

Pool defended in the face of the elements in the second-half and just as it looked as if they were going to make it, a point was snatched away.

With five minutes to go, the advantage was lost in the cruellest manner as Tommy Widdrington deflected a clearance past his keeper for Pool's first away defeat in 12 games.

On the greasy surface, Bournemouth's flavour of the month Alan Connell slid the first chance into the side netting.

Pool were taking their time to come to terms with the conditions and too many long balls drilled forward came to nothing.

Connell, with seven goals in his last eight games, was the focal point of the home attacks and only some packed defending from the Pool kept him out.

But Eifion Williams is on form too and from his and Pool's first chance of game, the table toppers were in front. Midfielder Marcus Browning intended to head the ball back to his keeper, but instead it fell straight into the path of Williams, who turned and his instinctive shot bounced in off the woodwork.

Two minutes later, though and Pool were down to ten men.

James Hayter and Barron scrapped for possession and as the striker got goal side of the defender, the Pool skipper pulled him down. Referee Mike Thorpe instantly red carded an angry Barron and the skipper's delay in trudging off the pitch must have had the desired affect as Wade Elliott's low penalty was saved by Anthony Williams.

After the madness of the three minutes of mayhem, Turner settled his team down by going for a 4-3-2 line-up, with Darrell Clarke and Mark Robinson sitting in as full-backs. Clarke's first game at wing back was only eight days earlier at Shrewsbury, now he was being asked to do even more defensive work and he passed the test.

There's no doubting Pool's steel away from home, and how it was going to be needed now.

Graeme Lee and Chris Westwood formed a barrier in the middle and, aided and abetted by the ever-willing Widdrington and Mark Tinkler, they weren't going to give this one up.

With the wind and rain in their faces after the break, it wasn't going to get any easier and when Pool had the ball they had to keep it, not give away possession softly. Anthony Williams' goal kicks, and there were plenty, were not going any great distance and when the ball found Eifion Williams and Adam Boyd it had to be held up. How Pool could have done with a second goal to provide extra support, but in truth it never looked like arriving.

A late foul on Ritchie Humphreys saw Brian Stock booked and some valuable time was wasted as the Pool midfielder was treated.

Bournemouth picked up the mantle and started to up the pace of the game and a stunning save from Williams denied Connell as his header looked destined for the top corner. And another Williams' save, this time pushing Hayter's low shot around the post, preserved the lead.

But the leveller came from the resulting corner. Widdrington headed away the set-piece and after it was knocked back into the penalty area Elliott turned the ball in from close range.

Williams somehow kept Pool level as he instinctively clawed out Connell's six-yard effort from a right-wing cross.

Humphreys created Pool's first chance of the second period after his left-wing run saw him cut inside and square the ball across the penalty area out of reach of Boyd.

Former Pool striker Steve Fletcher made an appearance on 72 minutes to face his hometown club. as Bournemouth looked for a physical presence to usettle the defence and Turner soon did likewise, putting Marcus Richardson up front in place of the white-booted and disappointing Boyd.

Fletcher's introduction led to Pool's downfall. He was making his presence felt in the penalty area when Westwood's clearance cannonned off Widdrington and flew past Williams into the net.

Pool could have had a penalty in injury time when Henderson was hauled down as he was ready to shoot, but their luck, as it had been all afternoon, was out.

Result: Bournemouth 2 Hartlepool United 1.

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