DANNY Wilson cut a frustrated manager on Saturday. After seeing his Hartlepool United side lose to an unspectacular Walsall side, he wanted more.

More from his players as individuals, more from his players as a team, more people through the gates and more noise from those in attendance.

And it could be said he had a point on all accounts.

His players underperformed and, coming just a week after a spectacular win at Leyton Orient, when they outclassed the League One leaders, it was bewildering.

Equally strange was the sub-5,000 crowd and the lack of terrace passion. The subdued performance on the pitch was matched off it.

For the second home game in a row Pools were up against a side whose first aim was to make it hard and stifle the game.

And just like against Swindon Town, the crowd was as flat as the players.

The difference was that while Pools pulled a point out of the bag two weeks earlier, on this occasion they couldn't even manage that.

A minute after Pools keeper Jan Budtz was asked to make his first meaningful save, neatly keeping out a close range Tommy Mooney header, Walsall struck.

Paul Hall stood goal side of Godwin Antwi, but the appeal for offside was negated.

He got ahead and confidently cracked a low drive into the corner of the net to cue a mass exodus of the 4,948 crowd.

Pools had spells of pressure and openings, but visiting keeper Clayton Ince was more often than not understretched when making saves and going off his line to gather crosses and clamber all over Richard Barker.

Wilson needed a little flash of inspiration from the match-winners in his team. He didn't get it and the bottom side were able to enjoy a coupon busting result.

Tomorrow night Pools have a chance to right the wrongs when Carlisle visit.

"I have to say the passing wasn't at the tempo we had at Orient last week,'' said Wilson. "The week before it wasn't so good, the week before that it was excellent.

"So we are working like that at the moment, we need more consistency right now. There is nothing in the division, nothing at all. If anyone things we are going to walk away with it this season, they are mistaken.''

And he admitted: "We would like the crowd to come out on Tuesday and get behind us in good voice - we all want utopia don't we?

"We came away from Leeds with great plaudits, came away from Orient with great plaudits. That's fantastic, and we think we are doing our bit for entertainment on those occasions.

"We need to get that atmosphere back in here. When I came here it was fantastic, on this occasion it's been flat. Whether we are waiting for things to happen first I don't know.

"Let's get back to where we were and let's make things happen.

"We have our responsibility as well, no-one is hiding from the fact. We are a club and we all pull together and work hand in hand.

"If we can give the crowd entertainment and they give us something back, then all the better.''

Home attendances against Doncaster and Oldham only topped 5,000 because of the number of visiting fans. Swindon and Walsall's smattering of support couldn't drag the gate over the respectable mark.

In with a chance to go top of the table on Saturday, no-one can argue that the gate was a disappointment.

But it's fair to say that those who stayed away didn't miss a great deal.

Walsall's aim was simple - get back to some sort of solidity after losing 3-0 at home the week before.

In central defenders Anthony Gerrard and Scott Dann Walsall had two on top of their game. They challenged for everything and, with Pools' delivery into the area not up to scratch, it was a good day for the visiting pair.

The Pools defence wasn't as tough as it was the previous week and Wilson admitted: "I don't feel hard done by with the goal, it was more a lack of concentration. The game was one of few chances.

"They had two banks of four tucking in to defend, but we lacked some spark. It was quiet on the pitch and off it. I don't know what fans expect to be honest, do they expect us to go out and blitz teams 5-0?

"I don't know but it was very quiet and the crowd was disappointing from my point of view as well because we had the chance to go top.

"That's not the reason why we didn't play well, but they can help us.

"The chances we did create we didn't finish off and we could have done better in front of goal. They came to us to sit tight and try and nick something and that's what they have done.

"They have mugged us and got three points.''

It was as Bristol City boss in 2004 when he led his side against Pools in the play-offs at Victoria Park that Wilson heard the crowd at its loudest.

Last season Walsall went home on the back of a 3-1 defeat stunned by the ferocious backing the home support gave their team throughout.

On Saturday it was a different story.

"The atmosphere was flat,'' admitted Wilson. "We want teams to come here and be scared. I've come here in the past and seen the team have a right go with the crowd roaring them on.

"The crowd here can intimidate teams and, let's be honest, in the last two games it hasn't been like that.

"Why? I don't know, I'm not on the terrace. Maybe they are just expecting us to turn teams over, I don't know, but we need help at times.

"We need this place to be a fortress and not just because of us and what is going on on the pitch, but with the backing of the crowd as well.

"We want an atmosphere and a loud one created. I hope it's like that on Tuesday night, I really do, because that might just push us forward a bit.

"We want this place to be so up for it and loud and make teams wary of playing here. We want to be focused on our jobs with the crowd right behind us.'