Pools lose seventh successive home game (From The Northern Echo)

Pools lose seventh successive home game

10:58pm Tuesday 22nd January 2013 in Sport By Nick Loughlin

THERE'S little luck, not much joy or enjoyment, and even less sign of a change of fortune for Hartlepool United. Games at Victoria Park are not proving much fun for anyone.

Tonight they lost their seventh successive home game, conceded a penalty for the seventh successive home game, and lost two of their mainstays to injury.

After dragging themselves level with Bournemouth when Jack Baldwin scored his first career goal and only Pools' ninth at home in 13 games, they lost their momentum - and the game - to a 61st minute spot-kick.

By then they had long lost Antony Sweeney to twisted knee that could keep him out of Saturday's haul to Portsmouth, while Steve Howard went off with a hamstring problem which could see him out for up to six weeks.

That should force John Hughes' hand in the transfer market and he allowed midfielder Paul Murray to leave the club. Murray has not played since the 1-1 draw at Walsall in November and is likely to move into coaching.

At least Pools' next game is away from home - they have taken four points from their last two games away from Victoria Park.

Scraping such a return in front of their own dwindling fan base is the stuff of dreams right now.