By Charlie Summerbell
December 22 2012

The cycnics will say that the decision to call off Hartlepool United's last home game of the season at least meant they avoided another defeat, but they actually had high hopes of ending their record-breaking losing streak against Portsmouth.

After all, the former Premiership giants are hardly setting League One alight themselves, and their financial situation actually apears to be worse than the one at Pools.

But after so much rain on top of a pitch that was already soggy, the decision by the match ref to call the game off was the obvious one.

So Pools and their fans will have to wait and the next home game isn't until January 1, when Preston see in the New Year at the Vic.

Meanwhile, there are two away games to take care of .. at Carlisle on Boxing Day and at Sheffield United on Saturday afternoon.

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY

NEW YEAR TO ONE AND ALL

2012 has not been a good year at the Vic, so bad in fact that boss John Hughes is already planning for next season in League Two, accepting like most realists that relegation is notw unavaaoidable barring the sort of miracle that would create headlines throughout the football world.

Pools might improve, results might get better and Hughes determination to organise his tream to play football might banish a few long faces, but it's going to take a lot more than that to get out of this mess.

It's not going to be a merry Christmas for Pools and their fans, but the New Year surely can't be as bad as the old one.

Can it?

Let's look on the bright side ... at least all this rain isn't snow.