Hartlepool's mid-season crisis grows

What started as a bit of a drama has turned into a mid-season crisis for Hartlepool, and the way they played - or, to be more accurate, the way they didn't play - in Friday night's home defeat at the hands of Cheltenham should have set the alarm bells ringing at Victoria Park. The rest of the season is going to be a real test for the character of the players and the ability of boss Danny Wilson.

Pools didn't just lose to Cheltenham, they surrendered.
Yes, they were better in the second half than in the first, but they had to be.
Wilson described his team's first-half form as the worst he has seen since he became boss, but it's worse than that.
That sort of form goes back to the bad old days under Martin Scott, when a team that had got to the League One play-off final simply lost its form, lost its way - and eventually lost its League One status.
On the form shown against Cheltenham, there's a real danger of that happening again.
Wilson quite rightly says that Pools need to relax and play the sort of football everybody knows they are capable of playing. They look nervous and edgy - scared to play at home.
But there is another problem. Pools lack the quality that turns average teams into winning teams at every level of the game - pace.
Friday night's team lacked pace in defence, in midfield and up front and even a below-average side like Cheltenham was faster.
Admittedly, not many defences do have pace, but a lot of midfields do. In Gary Liddle, Willie Boland and Richie Humphreys Pools have next to none, which is why Matty Robson was brought on early in the second half. James Brown is faster than the others, but he's hardsly a speed merchant.
Up front, Ian Moore does have pace and on Friday he was one of the better players again, But Richard Barker, said to say, has next to none. To make matters worse, he is currently being outfought as a target man.
Surely it's time for players like Joel Porter (right), Robson, Antony Sweeney, Michael Mackay and others to be given a chance.
Humphreys, like Moore, didn't let anybody down on Friday, while Brown is always likely to create or score a goal when he has space.
But Boland and Liddle is not working as a midfield pairing and some pace needs to be added -- NOW.
Eddie Nolan may be promising, but he's not going to win games, and while Ben Clark is back and looking good, Michael Nelson has more bad games than good ones at the heart of the defence, and that is a tragic loss for Pools.
Elliott has experience and it's alleged he can cross the ball. But can anybody explain how a senior pro with his experience can hit the side netting with a corner? Unbelievable at a time when Pools were putting them under pressure and needed to keep it up.
Pools have been found out. Don't give Boland and Liddle time or space to get their passing game going, and you're halfway to beating them.
And if they are going to be scared to play at home, as they appeared on Friday, let's give the kids a chance - at least they'll have a go.