LOSING two games in succession is a rarity for Hartlepool United these days.

Surely Mike Newell, the last boss to lead Pool to successive defeats, can't make it three in a row tomorrow night?

You have to look back to March 2003, when Newell's side lost at Wrexham and Bristol Rovers, to find the last time back to back defeats were suffered before they lost to Brentford and Brighton.

Ironically, the defeats have come at the same stage of the season as last time - with seven games to go.

Under Newell, they went on to win only two of their remaining games as the achieved their aim of promotion to Division Two.

But it's likely to take more than two wins to make sure they attain this season's aim and reach the play-off zone.

Newell's return to Victoria Park tomorrow after he was axed last summer was always going to be a fiery affair.

Hardly the most popular fellow to manage the club, Newell could yet have the last laugh on the supporters who never took a shine to him if he secures a Luton victory tomorrow night.

On Saturday it was another manager who can include a spell coaching Pool on his CV who inflicted the misery.

Mark McGhee briefly assisted Pool in the early days of Chris Turner's reign, helping out his friend while he was out of football.

And he was given a helping hand by referee Joe Ross at the athletics stadium that passes for a football ground on Saturday.

Imagine Pool playing their home games at Clairville Athletics stadium in Middlesbrough and you have an idea of how un-football-like the far-from-grand arena is.

The sooner Brighton get permission for a new emporium the better for everyone, especially the away fans forced to pay a hefty £21 - no concessions - to sit in the rain and look on from afar.

Darrell Clarke played a sweet ball through the home defence, Boyd collected it and was upended by former Middlesbrough and one-time Pool loan keeper Ben Roberts.

The assistant referee flagged for a penalty, referee Ross awarded it. By the letter of the law as the last covering defender, Roberts should have gone. Instead he was only yellow-carded.

Sod's Law dictates, naturally, that the goalkeeper then saves the penalty.

So sure enough, Roberts got down low to his left to push out Gavin Strachan's kick.

Pools boss Neale Cooper, a former Aberdeen teammate of McGhee, said: "Gavin Strachan has been different class for us all season; he's unfortunate with this one.

"It was the turning point of the game, no question.

"It gave them a lift. The keeper took Adam Boyd out and, as the last defender, he only got a booking. Is the referee having a laugh? He took the boy down and should have been sent off.

"I spoke to Mark as we walked off and he expected him to walk for the foul. Instead he stayed on, saved the penalty and bang, that's the difference.

"If that wasn't a goalscoring opportunity then I don't know what is.''

Pool also missed their last penalty, when on-loan Chris Shuker had his spot kick saved against Blackpool on February 20.

Strachan said: "It's a hard place to come and for most of the game we matched them.

"Of course the penalty was the turning point. I hit it well enough and went for the corner, but the keeper got down and kept it out.

"It's one of those things that he probably should have been sent off as well.

"Now we've got to pick ourselves up for Tuesday and the Luton game. It's another big game for us.

"It's a long way back home on the coach to mull over it but we've got a game coming up quickly after this one to get over this one.''

Roberts twice saved well in the first-half to deny Pool.

Clarke shot low after tricking his way through the defence and Mark Tinkler tried an overhead kick from eight yards.

Both defences, in the first half especially, were content to sit deep, stretching out the playing area.

Tinkler and Chris Westwood were happy and more than able to knock away the long balls coming from one end; Guy Butters and Adam Virgo followed suit at the other.

Just 40 seconds of the second half had gone when Jim Provett had to tip over a strong header from Chris Iwelumo.

The big striker climbed above Hugh Robertson to plant his header at goal. Provett kept out this one, but there was no respite when the same thing happened deep into injury time.

The second goal gave the scoreline a flattering look, coming from a breakaway as Pool pressed for a leveller.

Substitute Steven Istead - on for the impressive Clarke - had a couple of chances, the second one when he turned and fired a shot which Roberts saved low.

In 11 games this season against B teams in Division Two, Pool have yet to win. Pool have failed to beat Brentford, Blackpool, Brighton, Barnsley and Bristol City.

They still have Bournemouth to play at home and next Saturday's encounter will go a long, long way to deciding the outcome of the play-off race.

Result: Brighton and Hove Albion 2 Hartlepool United 0.

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