HARTLEPOOL UNITED, on the day the town rallied around the club in its hour of need, lost at home again.

This time Wrexham eased to a comfortable 2-0 win at Victoria Park.

Pools, financially stricken and who will only be able to pay staff and players wages after a tremendous fund-raising campaign, offered nothing against the promotion hopefuls.

While hopes are high of a takeover being completed next week, the club is in dire straits on the pitch too.

Once again Pools played neat football, moving the ball around, but offering nothing going forward in an insipid display.

While the visitors had first-half chances, they should have scored on 44 minutes. Chris Holroyd was played in over the top inside the penalty area, but under pressure from Liam Donnelly, he could only poke an effort which Scott Loach saved.

Donnelly, minutes into the second half, sent a volley against the crossbar.

But Pools were soon trailing.

Left-back Blair Adams inexplicably turned back towards his own goal and was robbed by Scott Quigley.

The striker got away and fired a low, angled shot across Loach into the far side of the net.

And when Pools had a corner, they managed to concede a second. The visitors broke, the strikers swopped passes, and Quigley raced away from halfway to score with ease.

Pools mustered nothing in response. They were again a well beaten team. Supporters called for the manager’s head at the final whistle again.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-1-4-1): Loach; Magnay, Donnelly, Laing, Adams; Featherstone (Adeloye 81); Hawkins, Woods, Deverdics, Rodney; Cassidy. Subs: Catterick (gk), Harrison, Hawkes, Newton, Adeloye.

WREXHAM (4-4-2): Dunn; Roberts, Smith, Pearson, Jennings; Holroyd, Wedgbury, Kelly, Rutherford; Boden (Hurst 89), Quigley (Wright 77). Subs: Hurst, Mackreth, Dibble, Smith.

Referee: Matt Donohue (Manchester)

Attendance: 6833