TWO games, two defeats; good teams don’t lose back to back games said Craig Hignett on Saturday.

After losing to Sutton at the weekend, Pools have now lost at Halifax.

It was better than Saturday, but the same old Pools failings exist.

They weren’t outmuscled this time, just well beaten, offering little up front and trying too many passes around the opposition penalty area.

As Craig Hignett took his players over to thank the fans for their support, they were greeted with a stack of abuse from the disgruntled faithful.

It was supposed to be different this time out. Pre-season optimism punctured in three days.

Hignett said: “I felt we were the better team with the ball and little bits of naivety cost us. In transition, when we are attacking we have to turn with the runners, foul them if we have to and we didn’t do it.

“I felt we looked a good footballing side, changed the system at times and we needed the first goal and didn’t get tit.

“Away from home, get the first goal and it makes a difference. We have had great chances without pulling the trigger enough. Going behind, away from home, and you are up against it.

“I felt we were comfortable throughout apart from a couple of counter attacks. It’s the last final third when you need a bit of quality and it wasn’t there.

“It’s alright playing nice football, I’m sick of saying it, but we have lost the first two. It’s by no means a crisis. We take it on the chin and for the most part we played well without a killer instinct.

“I won’t press the panic button, I will be positive. There’s things we need to do and tweak it a bit, we have players coming back from injury and we will get stronger, but at the minute we need to win a game.’’

After the most miserable of starts at the weekend, Pools opened much brighter this time.

They were confident in pushing the ball forward, sharp in possession.

With a midfield diamond, Nicky Featherstone at the tip of it, they were much more mobile.

Luke James turned and fired at goal, with centre-half Nathan Clarke flinging himself in front of the ball to block smartly.

The Shaymen, under new boss Pete Wild – who made headlines as stand-in Oldham boss in the FA Cup last season – were sitting in and looking to play on the counter attack.

They were getting in down both flanks when Pools’ full-backs pushed on. While Romoney Crichlow-Noble suffered an unhappy debut on Saturday, on this occasion the loanee from Huddersfield was much improved and composed.

But Pools survived on 29 minutes, as the Shaymen had three openings in quick succession, but managed to squander them all from close range.

Cameron King then fired a rising shot over the bar.

Pools were guilty – Liam Noble especially – of giving the ball away in attacking areas, which was giving the Shaymen the chance to counter.

And it was from a deep-lying break that the Shaymen took the lead on 54 minutes.

A Pools free-kick was floated into the area and as it dropped on the edge of the area, a pack of home shirts crowded Featherstone to pinch possession.

Four Shaymen raced away, a long crossfield pass found Cameron King who got beyond Michael Raynes. A low shot was parried by Ben Killip and Josh Staunton tapped in.

Pools had chances for a swift leveller. Nicke Kabamba bounced a shot wide, Gus Mafuta spun the ball over from a short-worked free-kick. Then a Noble effort was deflected onto the bar and to safety.

But those openings counted for nothing as they fell two-down.

A corner was met powerfully by Nathan Clarke, Killip saved and Tobi Sho-Silva was free to smash in from six yards.

It was woefully unorganised defending.

Hignett reacted by changing players and they had another almighty scramble in the home area, but the ball wouldn’t fall for them.

Gime Toure, on as a substitute went down in the area after driving forward, but was booked for diving.

Almost a year after signing, Luke Williams made his Pools debut. Coming on at two goals down at Halifax wasn’t the perfect situation to be introduced.

MATCHFACTS

Goals: Staunton (54, 1-0); Sho-Silva (68, 2-0)

Bookings: Kioso (18, foul); Crichlow-Noble (34, unsporting behaviour), Kennedy (45, foul), Featherstone (61, foul)

Referee: Daniel Middleton (Derby) 6

HALIFAX TOWN (4-2-3-1): Johnson 7; Duckworth 7, Clarke 7, Brown 7, Binnom-Williams 7; Maher 6, Staunton 7; J KING 7, C King 7 (Nolan 67, 5), Williams 6 (Allen 24, 6); Sho-Silva 6 (McAlinden 83). Subs (not used): Appleyard, Earing, Nolan.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2): Killip 4; Kioso 7, Raynes 5, Kerr 5, Crichlow-Noble 6 (Williams 83); MAFUTA 7, Kennedy 5 (Toure 69, 6), Noble 6, Featherstone 6 (Holohan 70, 5); James 5, Kabamba 5.

Subs (not used): Kitching, Cunningham.

MAN OF THE MATCH 

Josh King - always a threat from a strong home midfield