A DISGRUNTLED Martin Scott has condemned the Football Association for their constant meddling with match balls.

The Hartlepool manager revealed his players had to adapt to yet another ball change for their FA Cup round one clash with Dagenham & Redbridge on Saturday - the second swap in a week and third change in less than a year.

Pool struggled to find any fluency against their Conference opponents at Victoria Park. But it wasn't until after the game that the contributory factor was revealed for their below par performance.

"I don't know who's in charge of it but they've changed the ball again this year and the ball's an absolute disgrace," said an indignant Scott, whose side entertain Tamworth in the second round.

"That ball is not the right type for any team to play good attractive football.

"It was the same for the Dagenham lads. They don't like them, we don't like them, no player likes them, so why do they change the ball every year?

"The size doesn't seem right, it doesn't look right when players kick it, it doesn't fly right, feel right or bounce right.

"They suddenly went to a yellow ball in the league last week then they changed it back to a silver ball for the FA Cup. Something's not right somewhere.

"I like to see good, attractive football and I don't think the ball helps anybody."

Pool's match-winner Thomas Butler struggled as much as anyone to cope with the new ball.

It initially looked as if he was struggling to find his range in the opening exchanges when most of his efforts found the back of the Rink Stand.

But the former Sunderland winger backed his boss when he said: "The ball was different. I thought it was a size four ball or something. But it definitely took us a while to get used to it."

A spokesman from the official makers of the FA Cup ball, Mitre, said: "I'm totally bemused by their comments.

"The ball - the Meteor Pearl 100T - they used in the FA Cup on Saturday is exactly the same ball they use week in week out in the league - the Pro 100T.

"The England team and the whole Football League use the Pro 100T. It was launched at the beginning of the year but has only been used since the beginning of the season.

"We design a different ball each year for the FA Cup and although the look and feel is different it is exactly the same model: the Pro 100T.

"They have different names because we have different contracts with the Football League or the Football Association so we design them with these aesthetics in mind i.e the change of badge."

* Pool went out of the FA Youth Cup last night, going down 2-1 at home to Chester City.

Paul Stephenson - part of Newcastle's 1985 winning squad - saw his team battle hard but ultimately lose out in the first round.

Mark Cadwallader headed City in front on the half hour, and they doubled their lead as the interval approached through Graham Mealand.

Pool were unlucky not to pull one back on half-time when David Manson hit the woodwork. He had better luck in the second half when he accepted Damen Mullen's pass to score.

Read more about Hartlepool here.