Latest fightback underlines Pools shortcomings

After the weekend lord mayor's show in the FA Cup, it wasn't quite the dustcart that followed at the Vic as Hartlepool had to fight back for a point against Carlisle. But the game did underline a few home truths that have to be faced by the club and the fans, and until they are sorted out Pools will never be better than a mid-table League One side.

Outplayed in the first half and two down at half-time, Pools were booed off by the fans.
But at the end it was all cheers as the crowd recognised their stirring second-half fightback that earnbed a point and might have earned three.
Pools never got going in the first half, perhaps a reaction to Saturday's big day againt West Ham, but caretaker boss Chris Turner gave the players a rollicking at half-time, and it appeared to work as Andy Monkhouse (right) narrowed the gap and Joel Porter headed a late equaliser.
But what had gone wrong earlier, and why did it take so long to make their second-half domination count?
In the first half, no matter how well Turner says Richie Jones and Gary Liddle are playing, Pools had no answer to Graham Kavanagh, who ran the game virtually on his own, with help from Paul Thirlwell. Just like Scott Parker ran the game against the Hammers.
Jones can run all he likes and Liddle might well be gettinmg back to his old form, but until Pools have a Willie Boland figure in the side, they won't dominate midfield like Kavanagh did.
In the second, Pools managed to take control after Monkhouse's goal and that's when Jones and Liddle came into their own. But despite Porter being widely regarded as one of the best front men in League One, Pools were lightweight in attack.
On loan Liam Henderson was kept quiet and Porter, always a danger on the ball, struggled at times because he isn't 100 per cent fit.
Jones and Liddle can work all they like, Monkhouse and Matty Robson can do well down the flanks, though Robson appears to have been found out by opposing teams. But until there's a player in there who does what Parker does for West Ham and what Kavanagh did for Carlisle, Pools will not win games easily.
So in Boland's absence what about playing Antony Sweeney in midfield? At least he runs AT people and Jamie McCunnie did nowt wrong at right-back when he played while Sweeney was injured.
And as for the defence, if Michael Nelson and Ben Clark are playing well, how come the back four gives away daft goals? And how come we have a keeper who at tinmes struggles to kick the ball, even unopposed, and to keep it on the pitch.
You'd wonder how he manages to miss it - it's that big green thing will those men in shorts on it.
Howay Pools, gerrit sorted. And by the way, we don't half need a win at Brighton on Saturday.