THE one meagre crumb of comfort for Hartlepool United on a weekend to forget came shortly after 3pm yesterday.

Ball no 50, Tamworth of the Nationwide Conference, was paired up with Stoke City in the third round of the FA Cup, so at least there was no missed glamour tie for anyone to cry over.

But surely even the most one-eyed Pool fan couldn't deny Tamworth their moment of glory on Saturday or feel a hint of sympathy for them yesterday.

Their victory over Pool was fully merited.

It says it all when the only time Pool threatened in the last 35 minutes came when two chances were created in injury time.

After playing so impressively at Bradford seven days earlier, this performance was at the other end of the spectrum.

And that's Pool's biggest problem this season, finding some sort of consistency. They've won five games from their last eight, but the three defeats (Brentford, Gillingham and Tamworth) came from poor performances.

There's two home games to come in the next six days, as Colchester and Bournemouth visit Victoria Park and the outcome of those should not be underestimated.

Tamworth aren't a good side - they are fourth bottom in the Conference - but they made the most of their chances when they came on Saturday.

Trailing to a part-time non-League club was too much for some sections of the crowd as they vented their anger towards the manager for the first time in numbers this season.

Scott admitted he could understand their feelings: "We need a long, good look at ourselves.

"I'm embarrassed that we've gone out to a non-League team. We should have had enough to win the game.

"When things aren't going for you and people are frustrated, that's the time when you need your players to want the ball, we need more of them characters in the team.

"Things have gone unbelievably well over the last 24 months or so here and I say again that we over-achieved last season.

"We are inconsistent, we have a good away record but not so good at home. I heard a fan shout about passion and it's the right word - we need it, especially at home.

"The supporters have been magnificent and they pay good money to see a successful Hartlepool United team. I've no qualms about what they were shouting and saying.

"But I believe in what I am doing and it's right. I know that. I never question myself and I know what I am doing for the club is right.''

It's 20 years ago since Pool lost to non-League opposition at home, when Frickley Athletic of the Multipart League won 1-0 at the Victoria Ground in round two.

Last season Pool eased past Aldershot 5-1, while last month they had an edgy win over Dagenham and Redbridge at home.

The draws have been kind to Pool in recent seasons and this year has been no different. It's Saturday's performance that wasn't nice.

Yet they started well, passing the ball with authority as they stretched the part-timers.

Keeper Scott Bevan denied Antony Sweeney and Thomas Butler cracked a post before he should have had a penalty when he was upended in the area. Sweeney then hit the bar and Bevan again denied Butler.

But the more chances that went away, the more belief Tamworth gained.

Jake Edwards had already shot at Dimi Konstantopoulos before he opened the scoring.

Pool were left exposed on the left as John Brackstone tucked inside to man mark Darren Craddock and Kyle Storer crossed low through the defence for Edwards.

Tamworth boss Mark Cooper admitted before the game that his main hope was still to be in the tie by the break.

Minutes after the break they were in a position he could hardly have dreamed about.

Brackstone and Butler somehow combined to concede a corner from near the half-way line. When it came over Matt Redmile had the time to plant his header inside the right post, where no defender was stationed.

There was a lifeline when Darren Williams was tripped and Chris Llewellyn netted from the spot, but if anyone thought that was the cue for a Pool onslaught, they were sadly mistaken.

Redmile, a hulk of a defender is listed at a conservative 14 stone in the record books. Mobility isn't his strong point, yet Pool played right into his strengths and they never asked him to turn and chase.

At Bradford, against similar dominant defenders in David Wetherall and Mark Bower, they stretched the back line all over the park with lively movement.

Not this time as Redmile repelled all. Pool got into some good positions and Scott went to 3-4-3 and brought on Steven Istead out wide, but delivery was woeful.

Humphreys crossed from the right and knocked it into keeper Bevan, then twice Istead wasted chances to cross. from inviting positions out wide.

Darrell Clarke wasn't the only person in Victoria Park wondering what he has to do to earn a recall after recovering from injury.

Then came the injury-time chances.

Eifion Williams tried to get around Bevan but the keeper stuck out an arm to collect. Brackstone met Humpheys' corner and headed at goal only for Steve Melton to clear off the line.

"We've seen it happen before when you don't take your chances,'' said Scott. "You leave yourselves wide open and we left ourselves wide open for the first goal, we didn't deal with it.

"All the credit goes to Tamworth and they deserve all the glory they get in the papers.''

They also deserved a better draw than what they got.

Result: Hartlepool United 1, Tamworth 2.

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