HARTLEPOOL United fans this morning wake up with their side no further away from the bottom of the Football League.

Last night's defeat at Lincoln, coupled with Exeter's draw with Rushden, leaves Pool stuck in second bottom spot.

It's a position not alien to the Pool of the past, but one which Pool under Chris Turner's stewardship had appeared to have grown out of.

But while you won't find Turner bemoaning his side isn't enjoying the rub of the green, it's hard to get away from the fact.

Half and hour gone at Sincil Bank, Anth Lormor is played in by Mark Tinkler and deftly lobs the ball over the keeper. Instead of putting Pool in front, Lormor sees the ball bounce against the upright, come against the on-rushing Jason Barnett and roll agonisingly the wrong side of the post.

So it's one win in nine games, one goal in six and things, as they say, can only get better.

Yet as in previous games, Pool did create chances; as many last night as they have in recent games and plenty even at two goals down.

The only early chances between two of the Division's formless sides came from the home side. Anthony Williams reacted smartly to push out a John Finnigan header and Ian Clark, in for back injury victim Darrell Clarke, had to head out from under his own bar.

Pool's first threat came when Jon Bass headed back Paul Stephenson's corner and Gordon Watson, whose movement and close control again stood out, saw his snap-shot blocked.

Both sides were looking for their first victory in seven attempts and Pool desperate for the win that Turner feels will kick-start their season after a start that no-one at Victoria Park would have predicted.

After Williams' flying save denied Tony Battersby and Mark Robinson cleared off the line from a Peter Gain shot, Pool dug out a brace of quick-fire chances.

Watson danced his way into the area but could only shoot at Marriott and Lormor suffered his agonising miss that had Turner shouting 'goal' from the touchline.

But Pool soon paid for those wasted openings. Stephenson's misdirected header looked to be covered by defensive duo James Sharp and Gordon Simms, but they weakly allowed Lee Thorpe to brush by and he drew Williams from his goal before netting.

On the back of such a poor run of results, the confidence drained from Pool and the home side - no great shakes themselves on this display- were gaining in it.

Pool created two early second-half openings, first when Watson's neat turn and strong shot was blocked and the second wasted by Clark after being deftly played in by Tinkler.

Thorpe netted the rebound from a stinging Finnigan drive but the assistant referee's flag was up for offside.

Pool looked more than capable of levelling, but they were thankful to Williams for keeping them in the game. He went low to keep out Black and then produced a stunning one-handed effort to claw out Holmes' effort.

But after Black's cross was handled by Sharp, Holmes smashed in the spot-kick and despite their workrate and endeavour as good as it has been, once again it was not to be.

* Birmingham City manager Trevor Francis was yesterday fined £1,500 and warned as to his future conduct at a Football Association disciplinary hearing. Francis was in trouble following an incident at the end of City's Nationwide First Division play-off semi-final against Preston at Deepdale in May.

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