HARTLEPOOL United manager Paul Hartley was left stunned by his side's defeat to Walsall as they lost 4-0 on the opening day of the League Two season.
Pools were 2-0 down by half-time thanks to goals from Brandon Comley and Danny Johnson. Things went from bad to worse in the second half as Johnson went on to complete his hat-trick at the Bescot Stadium.
"I can't dress it up. We were poor all over the pitch" Hartley told BBC Radio Tees Sport.
"I was expecting a lot more than I saw today. The last four or five weeks have been good, the pre-season have been good but they don't count, they're false.This is when the real stuff starts and we just didn't perform.
"I take responsibility for the style, how we want to play and how we want to build the team. But sometimes you have got to have a bit more desire and show a bit more as a player and a unit and we didn't show that. If it could have gone wrong then it did go wrong.
"We didn't have enough energy, we didn't have enough desire to go and win a tackle. We were miles off it and I'm really surprised by that to be honest. I'm shocked at that level of performance."
After a summer overhaul at the club with 13 new signings and eight debutants on the day, Hartley is determined to right the wrongs from the weekend's game for the supporters for were in attendance.
He continued: "A lot of hard earned money to come and watch their team not to perform well. Sometimes you can put up with a defeat because you've played really well and it doesn't go for you, maybe come up against a better player or a bit of skill that's undone you. But today that wasn't there.
"I brought the players in, it's up to me to galvanise them and show a bit of mentality. We still want to try and bring a couple of players in.
"It's a wake up call. We knew it was going to be tough but hopefully it has woken the players up."
Pools next game is at home to AFC Wimbledon at the Suit Direct Stadium.
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