MARTIN SCOTT admits he is sick of using the same script each week.

The frustrated Hartlepool United boss is seeing the same things happen to his team week in, week out and he is running out of fresh words to describe it.

Almost 12 months ago, Pool's then manager Neale Cooper had to look up new words in the dictionary to describe his defence after they won 1-0 at Chesterfield to make it 12 games unbeaten in League and Cup and increase the gap between his fifth-placed side and the play-off chasing pack to seven points.

They had scored 21 times and conceded only five.

Now Pool are seeing the other side of the coin and it's Scott's turn to pick up the thesaurus, but it's not new superlatives he needs, it's a change of tune.

Two wins from 12 in all competitions and eight points from 33 is Pool's current form. Their last win was six games ago against Bournemouth and since then it's two points from 18.

They have scored nine and conceded 17 in 12 outings.

Statistics as those only lead to one thing and Pool are heading for a scrap to avoid a relegation battle.

Saturday's defeat kept Pool in 18th place, five points off the bottom four but, with so few League One games played, opponents now have a game or two in hand.

There's still ample time and ample games to get out of the situation, but they have to start turning it around sharpish.

"To be honest, I said to Aggers (Steve Agnew, assistant manager) straight after the game I might as well just make up a tape and play it to the Press every week,'' said Scott.

"I'm repeating myself week in, week out. I'm getting sick of hearing myself saying it and no doubt the supporters are.

"I don't make excuses, that's not me. We certainly have to defend better than what we did for Yeovil's first goal, it was very, very sloppy.

"We had three chances to clear and win possession and stop them. We didn't and got punished for it and we haven't got anyone in our team who punishes teams when they do that, it's happening to us.

"We have to defend at all costs and we shipped two soft goals.''

Scott had every reason to feel disgruntled over the two goals Pool gave away and they both had an element of bad fortune about them.

When it's not going for you, it's not going for you as Pool found out to their cost.

Right back Kevin Amnakwaah got forward on the right and went into a 50-50 tackle with Ritchie Humphreys.

The Pool winger won the ball as he went to ground, but the bounce fell against Humphreys and Amankwaah got away.

He fed Paul Terry who danced past Matty Robson with ease.

The cross should have been cut out by Darren Williams, but he hacked at the ball and it fell for Phil Jevons to hook an angled shot across the body of Dimi Konstantopoulos.

Either side of the break and Pool had their best spells, but without getting at keeper Stephen Collis or forcing him into any action.

A couple of crosses from open play and dead balls into the area were all they mustered.

From Gavin Strachan's free-kick, Jon Daly headed on and Micky Nelson's run looked timed perfectly to nod the ball in.

Instead, a matter of yards out, the ball hit Nelson instead of Nelson hitting the ball and it drifted wide.

A minute later Jevons fired low into the net for the second.

"That second goal and the manner in which it came sums it up for us right now,'' said Scott. "We had loads of possession and played good stuff, but where is the urgency to beat a defender, get a good cross in, beat the full back, cross with a purpose?

"There was only a couple of occasions when it happened with James Walker and Eifion Williams.

"I'm asking all players to defend better at all costs and we have to drive forward to get a goal at all costs.

"Bravery at times is what you need and sometimes you need the belief that something will drop for you in the box and you will be in a position to score.

"There's 19 games to go and we have to scrap, fight and battle for every point. Work ethic here is unquestionable, it's decision making.

"Of course confidence is affected.

"Winning is a habit, losing becomes a habit and we have to be strong, physically and mentally, and take the criticism on the chin.''

And Scott warned: "We can feel sorry for ourselves, but that's too easy. It's about standing up and being counted between now and the end of the season.

"Of course we are aware of our position and we have played more games than others. We certainly have to look over our shoulder.

"We look forward as well and know how tight this league is - a couple of results can change the outlook.''

The problem is that at times it's hard to see where those results are coming from.

With Antony Sweeney missing his first game since October 2004 with a foot injury picked up seven days ago, the central midfield of Strachan and Ben Clark had a solid appearance and a willingness to get on the ball.

But they were chased down by the opposition and weren't allowed to impose themselves.

The strikers didn't get enough chances to get beyond the back four and, while the display wasn't as bad as the woeful performance at Victoria Park in September, it still wasn't good enough by a long stretch.

Scott added: "Players have done well in patches, but we need more from every single player - ten, 15 per cent.

"We cannot feel sorry for ourselves because our star striker and the lads who scored the goals last season are missing.

"We've great character in the squad and it will be tested now.''

Result: Yeovil Town 2, Hartlepool United 0.

Read more about Hartlepool here.