PAUL Stephenson's impressive five match unbeaten run as caretaker manager ended in disappointing fashion last night when his Hartlepool side went down to Brian Laws' Scunthorpe in a proverbial game of two halves.
Pool's stand-in boss cut an animated figure in the visitors dug-out but could only look on in despair as he saw his side go down to its first defeat under his charge.
Goals either side of half-time from Ian Baraclough and Matt Sparrow did the damage and continued Pool's miserable record at Glanford Park.
Pool have not won there since March 1990 12 visits ago when Paul Dalton's header secured all three points in a 1-0 victory to become the first name on the new Scunthorpe scoreboard.
The last point they won and indeed the last goal they recorded came when full-back Darren Knowles netted from distance in a 1-1 draw back in November 1997.
A win last night and the visitors would have enjoyed a five-point cushion over fourth from bottom Rotherham.
Instead they sit a precarious two points away from the drop zone after a game they should have wrapped up before the break had they enjoyed better fortune in front of goal.
The visitors certainly started brighter than the home side in the early stages and enjoyed the greater possession.
Only three minutes had gone when Michael Maidens stung the palms of Iron goalkeeper Paul Musselwhite from 20 yards.
A minute later Lee Bullock was denied by the home shot-stopper who dived bravely at his feet following good work by Adam Boyd and Maidens.
Pools passing was confident, crisp and tidy and they played with a slight air of arrogance which initially had the Iron chasing shadows.
When the home side did threaten, the much-improved Ben Clark and Micky Nelson were unruffled at the back.
The only element missing was a goal.
The vociferous travelling Pool army of 492 thought Stephen Turnbull had provided it in the 37th minute.
Unfortunately his thunderous shot from 20 yards missed the top corner by inches after being set up by Boyd, who jinked effortlessly past defenders Nathan Stanton and Andy Crosby in the inside left channel.
But just when it looked as if both sides would go in level at the break Scunthorpe scored against the run of play a minute before half-time.
Cleveland Taylor was played down the inside right channel and his hooked cross was headed powerfully past Dimi Konstantopoulos from eight yards by an unmarked Baraclough.
The drama didn't end there however, and Pool thought they had levelled in stoppage time when Boyd crashed a vicious effort off the crossbar from six yards after Clark had flicked on Maidens corner.
Pool had a nervy opening ten minutes in the second period as the home side looked to build on their late first-half goal.
Joel Porter was introduced as an early substitute for Eifion Williams as Stephenson looked to get back on level terms.
But whereas Pool were confident and assured in the first period they seemed to lose their shape and went to pieces in the second half.
And they fell further behind to a rampant home side in the 71st minute.
Taylor was the architect once again but this time Sparrow got his head on the end of his cross to make it 2-0.
Porter had an opportunity to pull one back with 13 minutes to go but Musslewhite dashed to save at his feet at the edge of the box after Ritchie Humphreys played the Aussie through.
Moments later Boyd tried a speculative overhead kick which bounced comfortably into Musselwhite's arms.
The Iron responded a minute later when Andy Keogh flashed a shot over the bar.
Pool pressed for a way back but left themselves wide open as the home side hit the visitors on the break.
The defeat could have been heavier in the end if it wasnt for some woeful finishing.
It's not all doom and gloom however and Porter had some neat touches and looked lively when he came on.
But Pool must bounce back quickly and Saturday can't come quickly enough for caretaker boss.
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