MARCUS Richardson's loan spell at Lincoln was last night cut short as he made a surprise return to Hartlepool United

After netting five times in 13 League and Cup outings, Pool agreed to allow the striker to stay for a third and final month at Sincil Bank.

Boss Keith Alexander was hopeful of completing a permanent deal for the big striker, but Pool's woeful performance at Blackpool on Saturday and injuries to Paul Robinson and Eifion Williams forced Neale Cooper's hand.

Robinson damaged a hip at Bloomfield Road and Williams missed the game because of illness.

Richardson could start his first Pool game of the season at Chesterfield tonight.

Lincoln chief Alexander admitted: "It's a big disappointment because he'd been doing well. But you can never say never in football and we might have another look in the future.''

Pool's next fixtures offer the perfect chance to prove Saturday's hammering was a one-off. Tonight's game is their first of successive games against the division's bottom three.

After the trip to Saltergate, they entertain bottom-placed Wycombe on Saturday and go to Notts County the following Saturday.

Cooper knows after Saturday's horror show at Blackpool last weekend, the three games give his side a great opportunity to prove the 4-0 defeat was a one-off.

He labelled the lifeless Bloomfield Road display as "embarrassing" and had his players in for training on Sunday in a bid to shake it out of their system.

"Did they really deserve a day off after Saturday?" said Cooper. "It has to be better than Saturday, that was rubbish.

"They have had days off and then gave a performance like that one at Blackpool. Our use of the ball from back to front was poor, delivery was poor, holding up the ball was poor. It's not right. If we have to we will go back to basics.''

Chesterfield recorded their first League win of the season on Saturday, beating Swindon 3-0, after knocking them out of the LDV Vans Trophy last Tuesday. Last week they signed Bolton's Paul Warhurst.

* Pool's youth team meet Chester-le-Street in the first round of the FA Cup at Victoria Park tonight (7.30pm).

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