YOU'VE heard of the nervous 90s, but how about the nervous 70s?

Hartlepool United are clear at the top, within spitting distance - for El Hadji Diouf at least - of promotion. But last night at Wrexham they suffered their second successive away defeat as they sit, not uneasily (not comfortably either), but a little nervy seven points in front of Rushden - a gap that was a whopping 14 points not so long ago.

It was February 22 when Pool broke the 70 point barrier, five games on and they are only five points further on.

They started a poor first-half display disastrously last night, improving in the second half only to be hit by a killer second goal when it looked like they were ready to drag themselves back into it.

The last away win of eight came at Macclesfield on January 21, this their second reverse on the road in a row. No-one at Victoria Park is allowed to talk about what might come in May, but the sooner they get two more wins the better.

Only 130 seconds in and Pool were a goal down. Paul Edwards crossed from the left, Andy Morrell's shot was saved by Anthony Williams but when the ball fell to Scott Green he could pick his spot and easily put the ball into the corner of the net.

Edwards was causing troubles and from his near post cross, Green headed over the bar.

Pool had half chances from Eifion Williams and Darrell Clarke, but they came to nothing.

Clarke then broke quickly, but Andy Dibble, hardly the most popular keeper ever to play for Pool, raced from his line to smother from Marcus Richardson.

Darren Ferguson was the fulcrum of everything Wrexham created, spraying the ball from deep inside his own half. Pool needed Tommy Widdrington and Mark Tinkler to get hold of the midfielder with the famous father and start dictating things Pool's way.

Mark Robinson hacked off the line after Anthony Williams missed a corner before Ritchie Humphreys twice went close with shots from the edge of the box.

Pool were capable of creeping their way back into the game, but still falling some way short of what they are capable of.

But if they thought things were going their way, Carlos Edwards broke on the left and his low shot was blocked by Williams' legs.

Richardson's effort was deflected wide and from the corner Graeme Lee's thumping header was kept out by Brian Carey.

Keeper Williams was enduring an unhappy half and when he and Chris Westwood got into a messy tangle on the edge of the area. When Lee Trundle picked up the loose ball, goal No 2 looked on the cards. Thankfully, for Pool, he screwed his low shot wide.

Wrexham's defence, Dennis Lawrence in particular, was far from secure and Pool had to exert some pressure on the back line.

Micky Barron's cross flashed across goal, bounced off Widdrington and bounced wide and from another ball fired in from the skipper, Humphreys shot over.

Pool were looking a better side after the break, but were falling short when it came to creating chances. Newell hoped for a remedy by introducing Paul Smith and Kevin Henderson.

Minutes later and it was two - and the goal was all Pool's own work. Westwood slipped and lost the ball, Lee won the tackle, but it fell for Andy Morrell and he found Green running from deep, he took a touch inside and curled the ball around Anthony Williams and in off the far post. It was a little harsh on Pool - the chance was Wrexham's first of the half.

And from then on there was no way back. Gordon Watson had his longest first-team run out and Henderson mis-kicked a low cross as a rack of Pool forwards awaited the ball but it was too little, too late.