Baldwin (right)in action

By Charlie Summerbell
April 7 2012

For the second season running, Hartlepool United were denied a better result at Colchester by a late penalty ... but at least this time they could have no real complaints, because there was a foul and it was inside the area. 

Last season the incident that earned the home spot kick was miles outside the area as the home team pinched a 3-2 win, but on Good Friday Paul Murray’s trip on Gavin Massey was fairly clear-cut and Freddie Sears equalized from the spot.

Pools had spent most of the game in front after Evan Horwood’s run and cross gave Antony Sweeney the chance to head them in front on 17 minutes.

But Pools struggle to turn chances into goals and they missed a couple of chances that could have sewn the game up.

Neale Cooper ad mitted it was another frustrating game for Pools and told the club website: “That was some of the best football we’ve played away from home, the shape was good, on the counter-attack we did well. There was a lot of good stuff - it’s just frustrating to give away a penalty.

“We’ve created a lot of chances, but we have to be more lethal in front of goal.”

Where have we heard that before? Cooper himself must be sick of saying it, and it’s been a problem for many of his predecessors.

But there were many plusses for Pools – the continued development of Jack Baldwin just one of them. They played well as a team and if only they could find that spark in front of goal, next season could turn promise into achievement.

Meanwhile, Pools are at home to Brentford on Easter Monday afternoon, and that’s a game they could do with winning to boost sales of those bargain season tickets for 2012-13.