Carlisle United 3 Hartlepool United 2

FOR the third game in a row, and for the fifth time this season, Hartlepool United turned a lead into a defeat.

Reverses to Huddersfield and Southampton in their previous two games came after Pools went ahead. This time Pools didn’t play nearly as well as in those games and lost at Carlisle. They have now dropped 17 points from a winning position this season.

“We started well, the start we wanted – on top and looking like we could step on,’’ said manager Chris Turner.

“The torrential rain, wind and snow was at us and they scrambled one back “At 1-1 we fancied our chances, with the conditions in our favour, but the machine was turned off at halftime and it all stopped.

“But we didn’t perform well in the second-half, they got a freak third goal and then we had a blatant penalty shout go against us.

Things are going against us right now.’’ On a night cold enough for snowmen, Pools’ iceman gave them an early lead.

Icelandic striker Armann Bjornsson pounced on three minutes. Leon McSweeney’s corner was cleared and when the recalled winger returned it into the area, Bjornsson stretched his giant frame to poke in from six yards.

Any hope the goal would kick-start his career in England, however, were wide of the mark as he again fell short of being the big targetman he should be.

When the home side – playing with a gale behind them – started to adapt and exert a bit of wind-assisted pressure, Scott Flinders’ handling had to be assured.

At the other end, when Pools were able to clear, Boyd’s movement and touch was equally certain to hold possession up.

But a Graham Kavanagh corner wasn’t convincingly dealt with inside a packed six yard area and his former Sunderland team-mate Ian Harte popped the ball over the line.

The horrific conditions Pools played into in the opening half eased considerably in the second period, making life more comfortable for Carlisle.

Matty Robson, the ex- Pools winger, spent 45 minutes being Matty Robson – frustrating and promising in equal measures.

But minutes into the second period he tore beyond Neil Austin at pace and drove over a cross which was scrambled away. It was a sign of what was to come.

Next time the ball came into the area, Pools made a mess of clearing. Neil Austin weakly headed across his own six yard area, and Tom Taiwo drilled home.

And when Robson flung over a deep cross from the left, it crashed off the far post, and bounced back into the net off Flinders.

After Turner changed his strikeforce around – David Foley and Andy Monkhouse replacing Boyd and Bjornsson – Pools should have got one back when McSweeney’s shot was charged down and a touch too many was wanted on the rebound.

It was 3-2 on 90 minutes – Jon-Andre Fredriksen’s neat low cross turned in by Monkhouse – and Pools had a penalty appeal rejected in stoppage time, Evan Horwood appearing to handle inside his own area.

Matchfacts

Goals: Bjornsson (3, 0-1); Harte (33, 1-1); Taiwo (51, 2-1); Robson (62, 3- 1); Monkhouse (90, 3-2)
Bookings: None
Referee: Anthony Taylor (Chester) 7
Attendance: 4,109
Entertainment: ✰✰

CARLISLE UNITED (4-4-2): Collin 6; Keogh 6, Livesey 5, Harte 6, Horwood 5; Hurst 5 (Dobie 70, 5), KAVANAGH 8, Taiwo 6, Robson 7; Pericard 6, Anyinsah 5. Subs (not used): Pidgeley (gk), Murphy, Tinnion, Burns, Kane, Clayton.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2): Flinders 6; Austin 5, Collins 6, LIDDLE 7, Hartley 5; McSweeney 6, Sweeney 6, Humphreys 5 (Clark 73), Monkhouse 6; Bjornsson 5 (Fredriksen 67, 6), Boyd 5 (Foley 67). Subs (not used): Rowell, Cook (gk), Greulich, Cherel.

MAN OF THE MATCH
GRAHAM Kavanagh – his first-half probing got the home side back in the game