COLIN COOPER held a dressing room inquest into Hartlepool United latest humbling.

Pools were whacked 5-1 at Northampton, gifting the home side the first four goals, despite taking the lead after only 44 seconds.

It was every bit as desperate as their 6-2 Capital One Cup defeat at Port Vale last month, as they conceded a string of weak goals.

Cooper emerged from the dressing room shortly before 10.30pm and admitted: “I can’t sum up my disappointment after that. We went in front and started well and we didn’t do things good enough tonight. We didn’t defend good enough or defend our box.

“We all want to do well, sometimes things go wrong and you accept it, but as a list of criteria we have, then we’ve not worked at it.

“Clean sheets come from hard work. I ask the questions to the players and we have spoke about things.’’

He added: “The defending was poor. What I have said is that when I ask for honest and open answers in the dressing room, I will keep those in the dressing room.

“What is said in there is kept among us. There’s no way I will come out and say anything about it.

“Seeing my team defend like that hurts.

“Everything we ask for, we didn’t do. I understand that when things like that happen, then people will ask questions.

“I am proud to do this job and question myself and ask if I could do something different.’’

After four points from six in their last two games, and just when it looked like Pools were making some progress and improving, they came up with this performance.

Only 44 seconds had elapsed when they were ahead, with a well-worked move.

Matthew Bates lifted the ball up to Jonathan Franks. He laid it off well to Tommy Miller, who picked out Wyke, rushing in the opposite direction to the home back four and he had all the time he needed to pick his spot.

It wasn’t long before the home side were being granted the freedom of the opposite penalty area.

Kaid Mohammed had the ball at his feet in the area. Stuart Parnaby, recalled to the side after missing the last game with hamstring trouble, inexplicably went to ground, felled the left winger and striker Marc Richards blasted in the penalty.

Scott Flinders made a low stop to keep out an arrowed Joel Byrom shot, but was beaten a minute later.

Chris Hackett had a cracking game for the Cobblers  against Pools last season here, creating both their goals in a 2-0 win.

Last night he went one better, coming away with three assists as cross after cross after cross caused panic.

He flung one over for Mohamed who made no mistake.

It was a blow to concede, but Pools suffered more so shortly afterwards, as Wyke was stretchered off.

As he went to meet a cross in the area, he was headed by Zander Diamond and left unconscious on the pitch. He was stretchered off and concussion means he cannot play for seven days.

Wyke travelled home with his team-mates last night after being taken to hospital.

His replacement Marlon Harewood offered nothing like Wyke had.

Jack Compton pushed a low shot across goal when he should have scored, and the scoreline soon changed – but from being 2-2 it became 3-1.

Hackett crossed, and the ball went high above Flinders and landed at the far post where Mohamed got above the static Parnaby to head in.

Goals are a scarce commodity for Pools. Needing two to draw last night – in an open first-half it’s got to be said – they were never going to get them.

Flinders made two good saves at the start of the half, but was beaten twice more.

First a cross from Hackett – who else? – landed in the six-yard area and Parnaby remained static as Lawson D’ath turned in.

Northampton completed the rout with a goal which wasn’t of Pools’ own doing, Richards cutting inside and curling in a lovely shot around Flinders. 

Match facts

Goals:

0-1: Wyke (1, put in one on one from halfway and finished low)

1-1: Richards pen 12 (smashed confidently across Flinders)

2-1: Mohamed 20 (picked out by Hackett and cracked in from 16 yards)

3-1: Mohamed 35 (Hackett’s high cross, and winger jumped above Parnaby to head in)

4-1: D’ath 67 (another Hackett cross, Parnaby ball watching and D’ath knocked in)

5-1: Richards 76 (curling, rising shot whipped past Flinders)

Bookings: None

Referee: Simon Hooper (Swindon): A quiet night for the blower 6

Entertainment: 1/5

NORTHAMPTON TOWN (4-2-3-1): 

Archer 6; Alfei 6, Diamond 6 (Collins 40, 6), Cresswell 6, Robertson 6; Bryom 6, Watson 7; HACKETT 9 (Toney 72), D’ath 8, Mohamed 8; Richards 8 (O’Toole 81). Subs (not used): Carer, Tozer, Sledker, Ravenhill.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2):

6 Flinders: Made four great saves, yet still conceded five after being left hopelessly exposed

2 Parnaby: Brought back into the side, but a night to forget. Conceded penalty and questionable for three others

4 Bates: Didn’t defend his area with the authority needed on a desperate night for the club

4 Harrison: Part of a back four torn apart time and time again, mainly from the flanks, but Pool weren’t strong enough in the middle

3 Austin: Allowed Hackett far too much time and space to swing over crosses at will for most of the night;

6 Brobbel: Looked to engineer some spark at times, but was isolated in creating as he tried to keep going

5 Miller: Worked away in the middle, aiming to keep Pools pushing on. Created the opening goal

5 Walker: Kept going in midfield, even when the game was lost a long time earlier

6 Compton: Bright, lively and inventive in the opening half hour, but didn’t get involved creatively in the second half;

8 WYKE: Took his goal well, was full of running and movement and caused plenty of problems before his forced off injured

6 Franks: Linked up well with Wyke, had plenty of spark early on, but bogged down as Pools crumbled as the game progressed.

Subs: 

Harewood (for Wyke 28): The difference between having Wyke on the pitch and Harewood was measurable 4

Richards (for Parnaby 75)

Woods (for Franks 87)

(not used): Woodman (gk), Holden, Collins, Jones.

MAN OF THE MATCH: Chris Hackett – delivery from wide was exemplary