Mick W - disappointed

By Charlie Summerbell
April 17 2011

Hands up all those who were surprised by Hartlepool United’s 2-0 defeat at Sheffield Wednesday. Not many … because Pools are safe and have little to play for, because their away record recently is poor and because they ALWAYS lose to Sheffield Wednesday.

This was their third defeat of the season against the Owls, heavy home defeats in the League and the Johnstone’s Paints Trophy coming earlier in the season.

And this time, their performance was as insipid and ineffectual as the whole game as they failed to produce anything that bothered the home defence.

Mick Wadsworth said before the game that it would be a test of personality and character for his team and both he and the players were playing for their futures.

The response was poor throughout.

Former Pools favourite Tommy Miller scored from the spot on the stroke of half-time after Sam Collins fouled Neil Mellor, and Gary Madine, who scored three for Carlisle against Pools earlier in the season, hammered in a low 20-yarder in the second half.

It was one of those days best forgotten by Pools fans, though some of them will perhaps feel justified in asking why it appeared that some of the team went into the game determined to forget it before it even started.

Wadsworth was happy with the work-rate, but not with the defending. He told the club website: “We wanted to get to half-time without conceding and we nearly did that. But nearly is not good enough.

“I was disappointed with the defending for the penalty and for the second goal we didn’t help ourselves either.”

If the work-rate was right, then the application clearly wasn’t because while Wadsworth can claim that mistakes cost his team a result, they were second best from first to last whistle and deserved what they got from the game - nothing.

Roll on next season.