CRAIG HIGNETT admits he found out more about his Hartlepool United players in 90 chastising minutes last weekend than he had in weeks and months.

As Pools were embarrassed 6-1 at Stevenage, a result neither the manager or anyone associated with the club could have saw coming, Hignett cut a forlorn figure.

As the rain pelted down in the second-half, Pools crumbled. Hignett stood outside the dug out in the elements and suffered as much as anyone.

Pools are at Yeovil today, another long trek and a chance to right the wrongs of seven days ago.

"The players have their own personal pride, or should have, if they want to put the white flag up then people can see it,’’ he reflected.

"I purposely stood out for the whole second half when it was lashing down, I'm not going to hide, that's not me.

"At the end I made sure everyone went over to the fans because regardless of the score, you have to show your appreciation and you have to take what stick comes your way because you deserve it.

"I'd never hide or shy away. I've felt embarrassed this week because I want to do well for this club.

"The club is the main thing in all this, it does knock you but I have a thick skin, I'll take it on the chin and move on.’’

Pools led last weekend, only to gift the game to the home side and, without Adam Bartlett in goal, it would have been more than six.

It leaves Pools with a single win to their credit this season, at Exeter in the second game of the campaign.

Hignett insists he learned an awful lot about his players last weekend.

"I know everyone's character in the side,’’ he said. "I know who will play well when the team is playing well and I know who will hide when we aren't.

"That's something I'll look to improve, change the mentality, talk to them, help them with their mindset.

"But if I can't I can't, that's football I suppose.

"No disrespect but that's maybe why some of the lads are playing in League Two.

"You can see the ability they've got and they should be playing higher, but they are not and there is obviously a reason why not.

"Whether that's down to mentality, desire or being happy being here with no pressure, I don't know.

"But I won't put up with that. I said this season I was expecting more from them this year.’’

Pools ended last season with five successive defeats, but the manager was willing to cut his player a bit of slack after taking on board his ideas quickly following his February appointment and overseeing a big upturn in fortunes.

This season, however, there’s no excuses.

He said: "I am not mollycoddling people this season, I want to step on, training is more intense, what I'm asking them to do is more demanding, some people may crumble with that and some people won't.

"That's what I'm finding out at the moment.

"You do find more about the true character of someone after a defeat.

"You see the people who keep wanting the ball and don't hide and you see the ones who are quick to get rid of it.

"You see it, it's clear as day, I've learned a lot last week, I've learned a lot about myself.’’

And Hignett, who will have the option of recalling Trevor Carson, Rob Jones, Matthew Bates and Toto Nsiala this afternoon, added: “Saturday-aside we could have won every game at times. There are circumstances for last week, I’m treating it as a one-off.

“It’s not acceptable and I won’t put up with it or a lack of effort.

“I’ve watched Yeovil a couple of times – at Everton was one of them. They are hard-working and organised, we have to match that.

“They have two big lads up front in Eves and McLeod, we know all about Matty Dolan. There’s not a lot between teams in this league. On your game you can beat anyone, it’s fine margins.’’