SATURDAY should have been all about Colin Larkin. After 49 appearances without a goal, the Hartlepool United striker finally broke his duck.

To net a second 27 minutes after his first strike since September 2009 meant there was only one story in town; or so there should have been.

Instead, Hartlepool fell to pieces in the second half as Walsall scored five.

If anyone was shocked at seeking Larkin score, they will have been even more stunned by the defensive capitulation.

Walsall looked every bit a side in the bottom four - devoid of ideas and a game plan, short of confidence and ability. Pools coasted into a two-goal lead, but by the final whistle they had adopted those characteristics displayed by the Saddlers.

Last season, Pools led 2-0 at Southend, but managed to chuck it away in the second period and lose 3-2. This was worse - at Roots Hall Pools didn't really deserve to be in front in the first place.

The last major collapse like this came in 2000. They led 3-1 at Mansfield with eight minutes remaining and lost 4-3.

To concede five to a side as plainly poor as Walsall defied logic.

"Colin Larkin got two and it's his luck we wait so long for his goals and we give a performance like that. It's inexcusable,'' admitted Mick Wadsworth.

"I have to give Walsall credit for the spirit they played with. At 2-0 we were putting the Speedos in the holiday bag ready for the trip.

"I'll take some blame for it as it comes back to me. But it was poor and leaves a sour taste. Supporters don't deserve it and we have been a real solid team.

"We have lost games 1-0 and gone close. We battered Orient the other night, without scoring. It was a bit like Walsall did to us, but they got the goals.

"They smelt blood and went for it.''

Pools started with three centre-halves and the system they used to good affect at Exeter in their last away win worked.

With Evan Horwood and Leon McSweeney offering energy and life up and down the flanks, the back three gave nothing away and Gary Liddle's roaming midfield role worked a treat.

It was from one of his many forays forward that Larkin scored the opener. Liddle took Andy Monkhouse's pass down the right side, clipped his cross into the area and Larkin ran to the near post to joyfully tap home.

His only other goal for Pools was against the same opposition, a deft chip over the goalkeeper from 25 yards in a 3-0 Victoria Park win.

When he made it two on 49 minutes, taking a touch eight yards out before finishing low, the same outcome was on the cards.

When Walsall got one back it looked like a consolation and came in comical fashion. Marc Antoine Gabarssin's attempted shot spooned up after a mishit, but substitute Will Grigg controlled, turned and shot smartly into the corner from 20 yards.

It was another substitute who made the difference.

Emmanuel Ledesma hogged the right touchline. Within a minute of Grigg's goal he was allowed to cut inside and curl a shot that Flinders dived full-stretch to fingertip on to a post.

Four minutes later, Ledesma sent another ball over from the same spot. Darren Byfield was one of many home players racing in unchecked and he headed in.

While Ledesma needed booting into the stand, Horwood stood too far off him. The left-back kept drifting inside, leaving the Argentine with all the time and space he needed.

Sam Collins also needed to boot the ball into the stand. When the ball dropped behind the centre-half, he looked ready to head it back to Flinders.

But he let it drop, took an uneasy touch, stretched and Grigg took possession, shot at Flinders and Julian Gray tapped in the rebound.

Matt Richards had spent all afternoon wasting free-kicks and giving away possession in midfield.

The difference in confidence showed when he curled the ball into the area, finally finding a target, and Manny Smith was, like Byfield 20 minutes earlier, unmarked to head in.

Ledesma capped his day with a free-kick curled around the defensive wall and into the net in injury time.

"At two up it's about being professional and dogged, which we have done this season,'' said Wadsworth.

"But every time we get into the upper part of the league we lose our nerve.

"It's happened before and it's happened again and it's so disappointing.

"Supporters deserve better than that. No player - and I've said this to them - apart from Scotty (Flinders), who was left bare backsided, was on top of his game in that period when we needed to close the game off.

"For us that has been a simple task at times this season and we didn't do it.

"I think we are de-mob happy. We are on 50 points and think that's it.

"We are comfortable, season over, won't make the play-offs, bit of this, bit of that. And we were poor.

"It's one of the biggest collapses I've witnessed in my career and I've been around a bit.''

MATCHFACTS

Goals:

0-1: Larkin (22, met Liddle's cross at the near post to half volley home)

0-2: Larkin (49, long free-kick headed on by Bjornsson and took a touch before finishing low)

1-2: Grigg (59, turned to control and shoot into the bottom corner from 20 yards)

2-2: Byfield (64, ran in unchecked to plant a free header from Ledesma's deep cross)

3-2: Gray (77, knocked in the rebound after Flinders saved from Grigg)

4-2: Smith (84, another far post cross, another free header)

5-2: Ledesma: (90, capped his game off with a curling free-kick from 25 yards)

Bookings: Gabarssin (58, foul), Williams (90, dissent)

Referee: Neil Swarbrick (Preston): A game of few incidents to get

involved in 7

Attendance: 4,234

Entertainment: PPPPP

WALSALL (4-4-2): Walker 5; Westlake 5, Butler 6, Smith 5, Williams 6; Gray 7, Gbarssin 6, Richards 4, Nicholls 5 (LEDESMA 56, 9); Byfield 6 (McDonald 83), Macken 5 (Grigg 16, 7). Subs (not used): Lancashire, Marshall, Taundry, Bevan (gk)

HARTLEPOOL united (3-5-2):

7 Flinders: Left exposed and it would have been worse had he not made a number of

second-half saves;

4 Collins: Culpable for the third goal when he should have cleared his lines. A

contrasting display to the

previous week

7 Haslam: Missed when he was forced off at the break with a back injury. Read the game

seamlessly well during his 45

minutes

5 Hartley: Fully committed in winning his headers and tackles, but part of a

leaky back four

5 McSweeney: As a first-half wing back did a good job up and down the flank, as a

second-half right back he

was pressed backwards

4 Murray: On top in the first-half and overrun in the second, the same can apply

to his teammates

6 Liddle: Breaks from deep in the opening 45 minutes created chance after chance

but ineffective after the break

4 Gamble: Never got hold of the game and suffered later for it

3 Horwood: When Walsall introduced Ledesma he went into his shell and didn't get

close to the dangerman

5 Monkhouse: Failed to offer Horwood the protection he needed when he moved

deeper to the left flank

6 Larkin: It's been a long wait for a goal - and it was plain to see what his finishes

meant to him and his

teammates

Subs:

Bjornsson (for Haslam 46): Looked like he was joining a back three but pushed up front and didn't offer an outlet to hold up possession 4

Humphreys (for Murray 76)

Yantorno (for Larkin 84)

(not used): Boyd, Johnson, Donaldson, Rafferty (gk)

MAN OF THE MATCH

EMMANUEL Ledesma - changed the game around with his wispy play on the right side