HARTLEPOOL United seem hell-bent on giving their fans some sleepless nights before the season is out.

Four games to go and Pool are in need of a couple of wins to secure a play-off berth and ease their fans' worries in the process.

After 21 games without losing, Pool have now tasted defeat twice in the space of a week after going down to Hull at Victoria Park.

And they go to Leyton Orient this afternoon for a game against another of their top-seven rivals - and one they cannot afford to lose.

Two weeks ago, Chris Turner spoke of the weight of expectation that was lying uneasily on his players and after spending every competitive Saturday of 2001 in the play-off zone, they should be entering the closing stages on a high.

Last season Darlington flunked their promotion bid and had to settle for the play-offs when they won twice in their last 12 games. Worryingly, Pool have only won twice in 11 outings and if they miss out on their aim there is no second-choice to fall back on like Quakers a year ago.

But instead of moaning that it's two defeats in two games or two wins in 11, Pool have only lost twice in 23 games - not a bad record.

After the pathetic outcome to the inquiry into Chesterfield's affairs, Pool now know that fourth will mean a play-off place this season and not an automatic promotion berth.

Saturday's defeat means Pool are now level on 68 points with Orient and if Hull win their game in hand they will join the pair on that tally.

After the small matter of the trip to London this afternoon, there is no respite as Pool entertain Scunthorpe on Saturday - and they are one of the teams looking at the top seven from the outside.

Two months ago Pool would have won this game. Hull gave the sort of performance Pool did at Macclesfield when they won 1-0 - tight at the back and taking their chance when it arrived.

And now Turner is asking for more from his players after the double defeat.

"I feel that we didn't do enough to win the game - I've said that to the players,'' he said.

"I very rarely have to criticise them or have a go at them, but I just thought that both teams looked like they were quite happy to have a 0-0, or that one goal was going to win it. Hull would have said the same at half-time.

"Over the period of the good run that we've had, we really took the games to our opponents.

"We've worked hard, closed them down, not allowed them to play or dictate; this time we sat off and were never really as good as we can be. The players that we've got have to be at their maximum for 90 minutes every game.

"We've had that over a lot of games, but over the last two games we haven't had it.

"You don't want to get beaten by the teams who are there or thereabouts with you in the league.

"Our best chance is via the play-offs and we've got to utilise these four games to build up another run of form and use it as a springboard for the play-off games.''

After starting so brightly - Kevin Henderson fired wide when the defence opened up at the far post and then the joint leading scorer planted a header at goal but straight at Paul Musselwhite - Hull gradually started to stifle Pool and come into the game.

That was it as far as first-half chances went, but after the restart Pool suffered a major scare.

Rob Matthews got on the end of a corner and volleyed at goal from six yards. Anthony Williams bravely flung his body in the way, the rebound spun up and eventually giant Kevin Francis used his 6ft 7 frame to nod over the bar from three yards.

Anth Lormor's embarrassment from hitting Musselburgh from six yards out with the goal gaping was spared by the offside flag.

But Pool were soon one down. Francis, the man whose nuisance value far outweighs his footballing prowess, played the ball into the path of strike-partner John Eyre.

Williams came off his line and looked the favourite to collect, but Eyre managed to nick the ball from his grasp and find the empty net.

Graeme Lee made a welcome return from the cruciate ligament injury that has kept him out all season and almost made a dream comeback but his header crashed against the bar.

Mark Tinkler, so influential in the early stages, saw a volley hacked off the line and once that chance went, with it evaporated Pool's chances.