MARK Tinkler is sick of Blackpool. Come to think of it everyone at Hartlepool United feels the same way.

It's not difficult to recall details of Saturday's game, because the script was first written on Friday, February 20 this year.

This draw was a picture perfect repeat of last season's Victoria Park encounter - home dominance somehow only bringing a single goal before the away team finds its feet and levels.

Add in the misery of last season's 4-0 thumping at Bloomfield Road and the play-off semi-final defeats in 2001 and it's not difficult to see why tangerine isn't Tinkler's favourite colour.

"I'm really sick of Blackpool,'' he said. "We cannot seem to get a good result against them - they beat us in the play-offs and they seem to be our bogey team. We should have been out of sight.

"It really feels like we lost, we should have killed them off.''

Blackpool arrived without a point this season and only one goal. For the opening 30 minutes it wasn't too hard to see why.

The visitors were everything Pool were in last season's away encounter - disorganised, outplayed and outclassed.

Then, after going one-up and squandering a bagful of chances, Pool let their game slip and, by full-time, it's fair to say the whistle brought a touch of relief, as Blackpool turned the game round full circle.

"It was the same game as last season," said boss Neale Cooper. "We couldn't finish them off and drew the game. We got caught out with one long ball over the top and it shouldn't have mattered because it should have been sewn up by then.

"We played a lot of good stuff at times, which was just what you want to see from the boys.

"We didn't lose the game, but it felt like it and we have to learn the lesson - finish teams off.

"They were lively up front when they had a sniff, but again it shouldn't have come into it.

"Four games in and we have seven points, so it hasn't been a bad start. But we drew too many games at home last season which we should have won.''

Pool's goal came, after 24 minutes of utter dominance, when Sweeney's swift turn in the area saw Eifion Williams latch onto the ball like a shot and his smart finish went past Lee Jones.

Then, two minutes on, came the turning point.

Boyd was put through and skirted around the advancing Jones with ease.

Never short on confidence, he opted to take two touches before trying to score. And with covering defender Rob Edwards making the target that bit smaller, he hit the post from six yards.

But for Boyd this season, read Chris Shuker last.

The loan man somehow contrived to miss an open goal from all of two yards right on half-time. All this on Saturday before Blackpool had managed to string more than two passes together.

Williams wellied a volley over from long range before Hugh Robertson, so lethal in last season's game, smashed a free-kick inches over the bar from nigh-on 40 yards.

If the second goal had come, it would have been game over.

Blackpool had shown nothing and their confidence was so low, goal No 2 could easily have led to four or five.

But Pool stopped picking up second balls and the visiting midfield were getting the better of it.

Jim Provett made a smart block from Taylor and, somehow, kept one out when Paul Edwards had the ball at his feet three yards out.

But the leveller came when a long punt forward found Taylor and the striker finished low past Provett.

These Tangerines always leave a sour taste in Hartlepool.

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