HARTLEPOOL United boss Chris Turner last night reflected on Saturday's 1-1 draw at York and admitted: "We let our standards slip".

Pool remained in fourth place after the Bootham Crescent encounter, but were left to ponder what might have been after failing to make the most of Kevin Henderson's first-half opener.

York substitute David McNiven levelled on 72 minutes and Pool were forced onto the back foot as Terry Dolan's side belied their lowly position at the foot of the table.

But the point for Pool takes their unbeaten run to 15 games - two more games without defeat and the club record is equalled. And if they avoid defeat against suffering Rochdale at Victoria Park tomorrow night, Pool go to Feethams on Saturday with more than just local pride to aim for.

The stalemate keeps a healthy nine points above Pool and Rochdale, the club looking at the play-offs from the outside, but the gap to the automatic promotion spots is now up to six points after both Cardiff and Brighton both won.

"We didn't command the game like we should have done,'' rued Turner. "We went one up and the game was there for us - in 90 minutes Anthony Williams hasn't had a save to make. They had the ball and possession and pressure but the one good thing is that we didn't cave in and give a bad goal away.

"Going forward we were very, very poor. I've praised them all season, but I've had a bit of a go at them after the game because the standard wasn't good enough - sometimes it's not easy to do that when they haven't lost a game.''

And Turner rejected complaints that his side were content to sit back and defend after taking the single goal advantage.

"We just couldn't pass the ball around or get it in the right areas,'' he retorted. "We didn't go out to defend a one-goal lead, we went for a second goal but too many players didn't command their positions. We didn't get the balls up to the front two and hold the ball up enough.

"It wasn't like we put eight men across the edge of the penalty box and try to hang on - you have to question the players in taking a grip of the situation in a game that was there to be won.

"Their goal came from our throw in. There was only two balls that James Sharp didn't throw into the box. This time he tried to find Craig Midgley, he didn't control it and they got away.

"It might be 15 games unbeaten, but the last two performances have not been good enough, way short of the standards set.''

Turner might have been angry with his charges but this wasn't as criminal as the three-goal lead tossed away at Mansfield earlier in the season. The points, though, were there for Pool if they showed more drive.

Unfortunately they didn't and paid the price. In the end they nearly paid the ultimate price as York launched waves of attacks on the Pool back line and whenever the defenders did manage to get a boot to it, the ball was quickly returned.

The front-men couldn't hold the ball up and even Turner's triple substitution failed to make any impact.

A week earlier against Mansfield it was substitutes Ian Clark and Anth Lormor who created and scored the equaliser, this time there was no repeat performance.

It was York's two substitutes who made the biggest impact. McNiven replaced the poor Wayne Hall on the left side, had one chance to score and took it, while Colin Alcide caused problems for Pool with his all-action style. Turner seconded Neil Aspin for a man-to-man marking job on the big striker and he was always a handful up front.

Pool handed Adam Boyd a rare chance to shine in midfield at the expense of Lee Fitzpatrick and the home-grown youngster adapted well.

He was not afraid to mix it when needed and had the confidence to show off a sublime array of ball skills in a congested midfield.

Pool, backed by over 2,000 fans, went in front with the game's first chance. Sam Shilton put in a perfect cross from the left and Henderson stole a yard off his marker and planted his header out of the reach of Alan Fettis.

York's quick retort was a curling Steve Agnew free-kick that hit Midgley's outstretched arm in the penalty area and Pool found themselves a little fortunate as referee George Cain rejected the appeals.

Midgley worked to create a couple of openings, but could not find a finish or that second goal that would surely have killed off the home side.

Pool's biggest let off after the equaliser came when Micky Barron was robbed by Lee Nogan and as he slid the ball across the face of goal it cannoned off Chris Westwood and thankfully went the right side of the post