HARTLEPOOL UNITED last night drew at Chester. In the bigger picture the outcome is irrelevant.

Pools have been dire for weeks now on the pitch, while they are in dire straits off it.

After a deal to save the club, engineered by respected North-East businessman Chris Musgrave, collapsed, Pools may not see the season out.

Administration would mean a ten-point National League deduction and put Pools in the bottom four.

There may not be a club to support in the coming weeks. Pools have had financial worries and scares in the past, and plenty of them. None as severe as this.

If a Hartlepool-based businessman with the best intentions feels he has to walk away from the club then what hope is there?

Could the players put their troubles to one-side, after hearing of Musgrave’s decision in the hours before the game?

They offered more effort than on Saturday, when they lost to Wrexham.

Boss Craig Harrison said: ““The news before the game arrived and that’s not for me to be involved in. All we can do it hold our end of the bargain. We come in, work hard and battle.

“The supporters were very appreciative of the players at the end and we cherish that.

“If I worried about it all I would have no hair left, but the nature of the beast isn’t idea. No-one wants to be in this situation and we are. Worry about what you can’t affect and it’s pointless.

“Why walk with an umbrella out thinking it may rain?

“We need to know we have kept our end of the bargain up. We aren’t in a good position at this moment in time. The fight and desire was positive. We need to keep this fight and desire.’’

The chance came from Pools on ten minutes, as Carl Magnay crossed. His delivery on Saturday was poor, but this time he found Lewis Hawkins and his flick from ten yards was easy for keeper Sam Hornby.

But the first-half was a poor one, two bad teams in the lower reaches of the National League showing what they are about.

Magnay chased back to tackle, but gave the ball away as Hawkins wasn’t wanting it. When Louis Lang followed Magnay and played it loose to Nicky Featherstone, Chester got possession and Craig Mahon fired wide.

When Kingsley James motored ahead from deep, he was able to plough through the visiting midfield with ease. His slide rule pass played in Akintunde, but Laing was covering to tackle and put the ball out for a corner.

Naturally, for the set-piece, Pools clawed everyone back in their own penalty area and they cleared.

Pools then got on top, moving the ball around well and forcing the home side back. They struggled to create anything in the area.

At the other end, a dinked ball into the area was held up for Ryan Astles, and he planted a free header wide after outjumping Laing.

Pools got their first shot on target since Michael Woods scored in the closing stages at Dagenham two and a half weeks ago, when Devante Rodney turned and fired at goal and keeper Hornby saved.

Scott Loach was a spectator for much of the game, but was then called into action four times in minutes.

He wasn’t to be beaten, the pick of his saves to push a low, curling James effort wide.

On 52 minutes, a Chester free-kick from 20 yards hit the roof of the stand. It summed up the standard.

Ten minutes on and Pools took the lead. Jake Cassidy showed some determination to get into the area, the ball bounced in his favour and as he looked ready to pounce it rolled for Woods to tap in from close range.

It was some rare and welcome joy in the hardest of times for Pools.

Naturally it didn’t last long.

Striker Harry Wright rode two weak tackles on the edge of the Pools’ penalty area, beating Laing and Donnelly with ease and rifled a confident finish high past Loach.

On what – so far at least – appears to the beginning of the end of the club, they weren’t able to have anything to cheer.