IT’S three defeats in a row at the start of the season for Hartlepool United.

After losing at Stevenage and then Port Vale in the Capital One Cup, Bury this time made Pools start to the season a miserable one.

Aside from a second half spurt when they started to move the ball about with some purpose, they were well beaten by the visitors, who completed the double over Pools last season.

Nathan Cameron, one of three visiting centre-halves, headed a corner wide on 14 minutes, the game’s first chance.

Pools attacked down  the left, with Darren Holden played in behind the defence. But instead of picking out a team-mate in the area, instead he passed the ball to a Bury defender.

And following a swift counter-attack, Pools were one-down.

Ryan Lowe crossed from the right side, with Holden chasing back to his zone, and Daniel Nardiello, the former Pools loan striker, headed in from eight yards.

Pools should have levelled on 37 minutes. Stuart Parnaby’s shot was spilled by keeper Rob Lainton and Marlon Harewood blasted the rebound into the Town End.

In the second half, Luke James drove the ball across the penalty area from the right side and, from the left part of the area, passed to the first defender instead of picking out Harewood.

James had a strong volley on the turn blocked by Jimmy McNulty and Harewood did have the ball in the net, but was flagged offside after turning in from close range.

It was game over on 74 minutes. Skipper Matthew Bates left a back pass to Flinders horribly short, leaving substitute Danny Rose in on goal and he went around Flinders and the covering Bates to net.

 

Hartlepool (4-4-2): Flinders; Duckworth, Bates, Austin, Holden; Parnaby (Brobbel 72), Miller, Walker, Franks; James, Harewood. Subs: Dixon (gk), Collins, Woods, Hawkins, Richards, Smith.

Bury (3-5-2): Lainton; McNulty, Cameron, Mills; Soares, Tutte, Adams (Mayor 58), Etuhu (Sedgwick 71), Hussey; Lowe (Rose 67), Nardiello.Subs: Jalal (gk), Thompson, Widdowson, Poole.