Godwin Antwi
It was a poor game, bogged down in midfield on a day when both teams should really have been playing a lot better.
But neither seemed to have the urge to climb away from the below-average, and the result was 90 minutes that were woefully short on thrills and spills.
The queues at Asda were probably more exciting.
Pools had their moments, mainly at the beginning and the end of the game, but chances were twice wasted by Gary Liddle (left), James Brown and David Foley.
Manager Danny Wilson admitted after the game that Pools had fallen into the same old trap that cost them so many points away from home last season, and he knows that has to be put right.
They were punished for one defensive error, and failed to take the chances to get back into the game they created.
They are at home in the next two matches - Stockport nxt Saturday and West Brom in the Carling Cup three days later.
But hom fom isn't their main problem this season, or at least it doesn';t look as if it will be, based on the wins over Colchester and Scunthorpe.
It's away from home they need to get things sorted, otherwise we are in for nine months of frustration, just like last season.
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