THE team that didn't know how to lose are now seeing the other side of the coin; Hartlepool United last night lost their fifth game in six at Victoria Park.

A run of 12 consecutive League and Cup wins in front of their home fans has disappeared and instead, Pool have suffered more defeats at home in the last six weeks than in the last three years.

It wasn't for the want of trying last night, they battered Huddersfield in the last 20 minutes, but it wasn't to be, even playing against ten men for the closing stages.

The visitors couldn't believe their luck - this was the first time they had avoided defeat away from home in 2005.

Pool stay in the play-off zone despite the defeat, but how long boss Neale Cooper stays at Victoria Park is subect to much conjecture.

Dundee United are interested in taking the Scot back north of the border and Cooper has refused to rule out a switch.

Only 52 seconds had passed when Tony Sweeney passed up a good opening. Collecting a loose ball 20 yards out, his first-time shot sailed high over the bar.

Pool had a fright when, after Matty Robson was booked for a foul on Andy Holdsworth that brought theatrics of Italian proportions from the visiting wing back, Andy Booth headed at goal from a good postion, but drifted his effort wide.

Sweeney then burst forward to collect Hugh Robertson's long ball, squared for Joel Porter and the Australian could only find the same spot as Sweeney managed earlier.

Porter then fed Robson and his stinging low shot fizzed inches across the far post.

Pool needed to turn their utter dominance on a zippy surface into goals.

Hugh Robertson then had a shot that was tailor-made for the cameras. Unfortunately for the normally-assured Scot, it only had comedy value as an air shot - he missed the ball completely in a great position 20 yards out.

Starting on the bench for the second game in a row, after injuries received in an alleged late night attack two weeks ago, Adam Boyd was introduced on the half hour as Eifion Williams, a scorer at Bradford last Saturday, hobbled off.

With 21 goals to his name this season, Pool were looking to Boyd to provide an edge up front before the half petered out.

It was a Friday night game at Victoria Park in 2003 when Pool were alerted to the talents of Micky Nelson and the big defender was again in outstanding form last night, just like he was for Bury before his transfer.

When the visitors did threaten, it was invariably Nelson who snuffed them out, causing striker Booth endless frustration.

Nelson took no prisoners in creating a great chance for Sweeney. He barged Robertson and Robson out of the way to collect a loose ball and threaded it through for the midfielder to charge behind the back three.

Sweeney homed in on goal, but keeper Paul Rachubka chased out of his area to smother the midfielder.

But for all his dominance, Nelson was beaten by Booth on 42 minutes. Pawel Abbott floated over a speculative cross and, as the ball dropped in the six yard box, Booth held off the defender to bend his header past Jim Provett.

Pool were stunned and spent the remainder of the half trying to comprehend what had happened.

Humphreys came inside onto his left foot soon after the restart, but couldn't work an opening.

When that was all Pool had created by the hour mark, Thomas Butler was introduced.

He replaced Robertson, and the former Sunderland winger took up his position on the left wing.

Right-back Darren Craddock went closest when his curling cross evaded Rachubka and crashed out of play via the crossbar.

Ben Clark then replaced Mark Tinkler as Pool's midfield was made up of two former Sunderland players.

Sweeney drew a late tackle from Nathan Clark and the central defender was shown a second yellow after receiving a booking for a first-half foul on Craddock.

Nelson's header looked destined for the net, until a full-length stop by Rachubka and, from the corner, Westwood's header cannoned off the bar.

From another corner, Clark's header was booted off the line by Andy Holdsworth.

It didn't look like it was going to be Pool's night.

The pressure stayed on the visitors. Butler headed down and Boyd, under pressure, tamely poked at the keeper, then Craddock pranced forward and fired into the advertising hoardings.

Boyd showed Brandon the cleanest pair of heels inside the area, homed in on goal and his cross was blasted horribly over by Porter.

Huddersfield's time-killing skills were exemplary. Quite where three minutes of added on time came from is anyones guess.

But when Rabchuka got a strong hand to keep out Nelson's pile-driver, Pool had run out of not only time, but effort.

Read more about Hartlepool here.