By Charlie Summerbell
August 28 2010
If you're going to lose your unbeaten League One record in front of your own fans, you might as well do it properly - and Hartlepool United certainly achieved that as leaders Sheffield Wednesday steam-rollered their way to a 5-0 win that was even easier than the scoreline suggests.
Caretaker manager Mick Wadsworth says he and his players won't give in after the setback, which is a start, and while the defeat wasn't quite as bad as last season's similar scoreline at home to MK Dons, it was close to it.
Pools started badly and managed to gradually get worse after Paul Murray's early own goal, Giles Coke and Neil Mellor making it three at half-time before a Marcus Tudgay penalty and a last-minute fifth from sub Clinton Morrison wrapped it up.
Pools looked weak in defence, short of ideas in midfield and punchless up front in as comprehensive a defeat as they are likely to suffer all season.
Wednesday are top of the table and promotion favourites, but they are not the only good side in League One and Pools can't afford this sort of result to become a habit.
They need to recover their pose against Northampton in the JP trophy on Tuesday night and, more importantly, away to MK Dons next weekend.
Fortunately, several other teams have had a far worse start to the season and at least this hammering has happened in plenty of time to turn things round.
There's a long way to go yet, but Pools need to put this result and performance behind them quick.
They could also do with sorting out the manager situation quick.
It's all very well KH saying there's no rush, but this performance suggests there is.