Yogi - frustrated

By Charlie Summerbell
March 3 2013

After seven unbeaten games, the Great Escape has been derailed - But Hartlepool Unuited have a chance to get it back on track on Tuesday night when Coilchester visit Victoria Park.

Losing 3-0 at leaders Doncaster is no great surprise – the run had to end sometime, and they were clearly second best for much of the game at Keepmoat Stadium.

Fans trying to work out the maths behind the chances of avoiding the big drop from league One generally decided that this would be a defeat – even a point would have been a huge bonus.

The trick now it to put things right against Colchester.

Doncaster went ahead when Iain Hulme was given all the time in the world to fire home in the first half, and ten minutes after the break James Coppinger, the lad from Middlesbrough who has twice been on loan at Pools, scored his first goal of the season.

Billy Paynter headed the third as Pools finished well beaten in the end.

"The way we played today, it would have been a hard task to come and get anything< boss John Hughes told the club website. “I thought we were a little bit flat, a little bit off it and it's a bit disappointing to lose three goals.

"We just need to regroup and to know the reasons why we didn't put the same performance in as we did on Tuesday.

"We need to take that one right on the chin and get ready to go again on Tuesday.

An incredible 850 Pools fans made the journey to Doncaster and Hughes added: "They're second to none, they just want effort and spirit and commitment from us and that's what we try to give them."

Hopefully, there will be more of that on Tuesday – it’s a real six-pointer.

Pools are still six behind fourth-bottom Oldham and eight behind safety, where Scunthorpe and Colchester occupy six- and fifth-bottom places.

The miracle can still happen –m but they can ill afford many more days like Saturday.