Hartlepool United boss Craig Harrison has revealed that he has been fighting off interest in wantaway striker Padraig Amond all summer.

The frontman refused to travel with the rest of the Pools squad, who, without him, were easy beaten 2-0 by Bromley to continue their nightmare start to life in the National League.

And Harrison, winless in five games this season, believes he could not have done anymore to hang on to the striker, who looks all but certain to depart the club, with Newport County in talks to sign him.

Speaking after the Hayes Lane defeat, which came courtesy of goals either side of half-time by Josh Rees and a cracker from Luke Wanadio, Harrison said: "Podge hasn’t wanted to be at Hartlepool this summer.

"He handed in a transfer request four or five weeks ago. The last step for Podge was to make himself unavailable.

"From my own point of view, and I speak for the coaches, too, we have done all that we can to keep him.

"I have batted off clubs left, right and centre over the summer.

"All I can say is how I feel and I bent over backwards, worked my socks off to keep him here. It is his decision. So, we are going to have to deal with it."

Without Amond leading the line Harrison changed formation, switching to a 4-3-3 with Liam Donnelly slotting into central midfield in place of last season's top scorer.

And despite the negativity off the park, Pools began where they left off against Chester in midweek, zipping the ball around, creating chances and dominating possession.

The impressive Conor Newton, in a much more advanced role, came within inches of diverting a Jake Cassidy cross home, while Donelly saw a volley blocked as Pools pushed for an opener.

Totally on top, pinning the hosts back, Pools, who lost Louis Laing to a hamstring injury on the half hour, got hit on the break yet again in the 36th minute, when a cross from the right was turned home by Rees for 1-0.

The strike was totally against the run of play, but seems to be a common denominator for Pools this season.

After the break the visitors levels dropped. The Lilywhites began to see more of the ball and create chances at will.

When Wanadio impressively cracked home from 25 yards, giving the helpless Scott Loach no chance, it was difficult to argue that the goal had not been coming.

And from then on in it was a procession for Bromley, with Wanadio hitting the post and Loach producing two or three quality saves to keep the score respectable.

Increasingly isolated Cassidy, despite a cameo from Devante Rodney, attempted to reduce the arrears but his looping effort over his shoulder sailed wide.

Harrison could not hide his disappointment at the second half show.

"It is no good playing for 45 minute patches - we have done well for one half in games and then not the other," he said.

"We gave the opposition yet another goal when we were well and truly on top.

"We can’t keep giving teams a head start. It something that has to stop now.

"That doesn’t win you points and it doesn’t win you games.

"Our performance on the day was just not good enough."

Matchfacts

Goals: Rees (36, 1-0); Wanadio (59, 2-0)

Bookings: Cassidy 31, Featherstone 52, Newton 90

Referee: Sawas Yianni

Attendance: 1,709

Entertainment: 2/5

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-3): Loach 7; Magnay 6, Harrison 5, Laing (Franks 31, 6) 3, Adams 5; Donnelly 6, Featherstone 5, Newton 6; Donaldson 5, Cassidy 5, Deverdics (Rodney 68, 3) 5. Subs (not used): Munns, Woods, Hawkins.

BROMLEY (4-2-3-1): Gregory 6, Rees 7, Chorley 7, Holland 8, Dennis 9 (Raymond 87), Mekki 7, Wynter 7, Sterling 7, Wanadio 8, Porter (Williams 76, 6) 7, Sutherland 6. Subs (not used): Dunne, Allen, Johnson.

MAN OF THE MATCH Louis Dennis – always too good for Pools on the day