Just when Hartlepool United fans thought life could get no worse along come Workington in the FA Trophy.

For all the facts over league positions, Pools are two divisions higher than the Evo-Stik Premier team, and Saturday’s first round tie at Borough Park had banana-skin written all over it.

Workington went into the match unbeaten in 13 matches while Pools had only one once in seven fixtures.

And so it proved that the part-time Reds were too good for the full-timers, Scott Allison scoring the winner eight minutes from time.

It was hard to gauge just how good Workington actually are because the surface was difficult to perform on.

However, what quality the Reds may have lacked technically, they more than made up for in terms of effort – every 50-50 or even 40-60 was contested with great ferocity.

That’s not to say Pools weren’t trying, but they came up short on the day.

Sadly, that makes it five Saturdays on the trot they have come up short which begs the question how long they can continue in this vein.

Boss Craig Harrison has vowed to fight on, insisting the squad and coaching staff will work their way through this terrible time, so much so that the players were back in training yesterday.

"Today has been a pure, old-fashioned out and out cup tie against a team from a lower division and they have come out winners," said Harrison.

"We have to dust ourselves down now and make sure we don't have an extended hangover. We have to be ready to go again.

"We have big games coming up, we have to stick together, look after each other and go again."

The big games he refers to are four matches in the space of ten days, the visit of Maidenhead this Saturday and a trip to Chester the following weekend with two Bank Holiday derbies with Gateshead thrown in for good measure.

Pools are going to have to show a response to this abject performance, but that's been said now for numerous weeks.

There was yet another dressing-room lock-in with Harrison admitting there was a frank exchange

"Obviously, it was a poor result," said the manager. "They [the players] are gutted and devastated.

"There was an emotional and high-tempered 20 minutes or so afterwards in the dressing room.

"Some strong words have been said, as there should be."

There were more strong words from those hardy band of fans who stood through 90 testing minutes in freezing temperatures on Cumbria's west coast.

They were subject to another display where those in a blue and white kit controlled play and had the majority of chances only to end the game with nil against their name. It’s something they have seen time and time again.

And, predictably, they also failed to keep the ball from their own goal.

Workington's best moments came at the beginning and end of this gripping cup tie.

They could have been two in front inside five minutes, with the away defence exposed twice but a combination of Scott Loach and Liam Donnelly denied Sam Joel in the third minute while Allison was just off target with an attempted lob 90 seconds later.

Pools finally got out of first gear and began to run the game, only for Aaran Taylor to make a point-blank save from a Michael Woods header 11 minutes from the break while Tomi Adeloye, making his first start, fired well over from a decent position.

After the break, Taylor made a brilliant save to keep out a Nicky Deverdics free-kick which was heading into his top corner.

Donnelly had a header cleared, Jake Cassidy headed tamely at the keeper, while sub Rhys Oates had a shot blocked after a good run.

The Reds offered little going forward though that did not stop them from summoning the energy and skill for the 82nd minute winner.

Sub Nathan Waterston ran well down the right flank and crossed for Allison who finished superbly with his left foot from 15 yards.

Pools rallied and had four cracks at the home goal of varying quality.

Jonathan Franks did not make a clean contact, allowing Gari Rowntree to clear off the line, Woods blazed over and Oates and Devante Rodney shot weakly which Taylor saved with ease.

To put the seal on a depressing day, midfielder Lewis Hawkins, making his first start since October 24, was sent off in stoppage time for a second yellow card.