Back in the old away routine for Pools

Chris Turner says he can't fault the players for effort, but he knows as well as anybody that effort alone isn't enough - it's the result that counts, and Hartlepool were back in the old routine at Stockport after two unbeaten away games. Just when it looked as if they could relax, the pressure is on again in the bottom half of the League One table.

The good news is that top scorer Joel Porter came through a 90-minute game unscatched and should be fit for the rest of the season, barring accidents.
To make it even better, sub Michael Mackay got he goal he's been looking for for ages, but it came too late to help Pools get a result on a crap pitch.
But the bad news is that Pools once again wasted chances and made daft mistakes in defence - mustrakes that allowed Stockport to take a 2-0 lead before Mackay's well-taken late goal at least gave them a chance of a result.
But it wasn't a great performance, so after two defeats on the trot they go to Cheltenham on Saturday when they can expect Martin Allen to have the bottom club fired up as they at least try to end their disastrous season on a high note.
It looks as if it's going to be a nervy end to the season for Pools. They raised everybody's hopes by winning at Swindon, drawing at Colchester and beating Tranmere. But now these two defeats have set them back again.
At least we know they CAN get the results they need to stay out of trouble - they are five ahead of fifth bottom Yeovil and eight in front of fourth bottom Swindon, but every team below Pools has at least one game in hand - Hereford have four, Northampton three and one or two ohers have two.
Yeovil, Hereford and Northampton all lost while Pools were losing at Stockport, but Leyton Orient won well at Carlisle and Crewe got a draw at Walsall.
Keep your fingers crossed and pray Joel stays fit.