Pools put a miserable October behind them

The coach is of the firm opinion that the overwhelming majority of his players have to be on top form to ensure results are positive.

The majority of them were on their game in August and September, but off key in October.

Five losses in six last month was a real jolt to the system and went some way to cancelling out the promising opening to the campaign.

However, November started with Pools picking up a point at Leyton Orient to halt the October misery and the players who were so out of sorts against Charlton seven days previously were back on top of their games.

Away form for Pools this season has held up. There's been one loss, one disappointment, at Notts County, but apart from that there's been four wins and three draws.

"We have had a real tough time and had criticism and that's understandable, but we want a Hartlepool United side we can be proud of and we showed that today we can be,'' said Wadsworth, as Pools lived up the hard-nosed image the coach demanded off them in the aftermath of the Charlton game.

They showed character and spirit, two traits lacking the previous week, in the face of two major blows.

First up, and only three minutes in, Peter Hartley connected with an Evan Horwood corner and his header crossed the line before being stopped and cleared.

Both referee and his assistant had a decent view, both fudged the decision. Pools' protests said it all - they weren't in hope or expectation, more disbelief the goal wasn't given.

Then, with 20 minutes to go, another refereeing decision turned against them. Paul Murray had already been booked when he tripped winger George Porter. Referee Craig Pawson - just like when he booked home defender Scott Cuthbert for a foul on James Poole - couldn't get his cards out quick enough.

So Pools faced up to 20 minutes of ten against 11. They were up to the task as they repelled the home side and goalkeeper Scott Flinders wasn't over stretched in seeing the game out.

"We gave a little bit more hope than last week and had we played much more like this last Saturday we could have had a much better result,'' added Wadsworth. "That's not relative to the opposition as I think Orient are a very good team here, but we let ourselves down badly against Charlton.

"We are back on track hopefully and we've had some fantastic results away from home especially and now it's something to build on.''

Pools team took some working out when it was announced. There was three players who have operated at left-back of late in the starting XI, two right-backs and a welter of players who play across the midfield.

Yet the decisions to play 4-4-2 with Neil Austin and Evan Horwood wide worked and, by full-time, there was only four players - three defenders and goalkeeper - in the same positions they began at 3pm.

Everyone played their part with a willingness and honesty to dig in and Wadsworth said: "It's a nice feeling after a good performance and it was one. I said to the players win, lose or draw I wanted character and resliance, all the things we showed in the first ten games and in that respect we did really well.''

In the first half, Pools created five chances before they fell behind and a further three by half-time.

Leon McSweeney, freed by Pools last season, is at left-back for the Os and he appeared from nowhere to block a James Poole effort.

Goalkeeper Ben Alnwick, once of Sunderland, saved from Poole, Antony Sweeney, Andy Monkhouse and Austin.

Monkhouse headed wide from an Austin cross - the chance coming after a sublime piece of control from Poole in stunning the ball as it dropped from the clouds - and Jimmy Smith diverted a Monkhouse effort wide.

Yet Pools were trailing when Dean Cox tapped in after Potter, the home side's brightest player, opened up a chance with pace and neat passing.

The leveller came when Monkhouse nipped in between Tom Clarke and Terrell Forbes and was knocked over by the latter.

"The whole team was very good this week and we needed to be solid,'' concluded Wadsworth.

"What happens in front of the back four is that we have to be compact defensively. Attacking wise we did really well at times and we will have games away from home when we don't create as many chances and come away with a win.

"In losing Muzza it was a shame because I thought and had a gut feeling we would go on and win as things were going our way.

"But the decision to send him off was disappointing, it was an innocuous foul, nothing more than a foul and I don't understand why it has to be a sending-off. There was no intent, it wasn't malicious it was a foul, a badly timed tackle nothing more.''

Goals:

1-0: Cox (23, tap in from six yards after Mooney's break opened up the defence)

1-1: Austin pen (54, sent keeper wrong way after Monkhouse was felled)

Bookings: Cuthbert (37, foul), Murray (44, foul), Poole (82, foul)

Sending-off: Murray (70, foul)

Referee: Craig Pawson (Sheffield): Too quick to get his cards out and somehow neither he nor assistant saw Hartley's header cross the line 3

Attendance: 4,424

Entertainment: 4/5

LEYTON ORIENT (4-4-2): Alnwick 6; Clarke 6, Cuthbert 5, Forbes 5, McSweeney 7; Cox 7, Dawson 6, Smith 5, Porter 8; Cureton 6, Mooney 7. Subs (not used): Omozusi, Laird, Cestor, Odubajo, Lovelock (gk)

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2):

7 Flinders: Never afraid of coming off his line to connect and clear in a positive display;

6 Wright: More than played his part in a steady defensive display. Didn't charge ahead and stayed firm

7 Collins: Strong and dominant and upset the home supporters with his forceful performance in winning ball after ball

7 Hartley: The central defensive unit was back to its solid and organised best as they swatted away attacks

5 Humphreys: Replaced at the break as Pools adapted to deal with the threat of the home side's best player in Porter;

8 Austin: A surprise pick at right midfield, but slotted in seamlessly and likewise when he moved to left back in the second half

6 Murray: Harshly dealt with by the referee amid a busy central midfield display

7 Sweeney: First game back and slotted in like he's never been away with an energetic 90 minute display and could have scored

6 Horwood: Similar outing to his last game on the left of midfield at Chesterfield when he was disciplined further up the field;

8Poole: Busy, nippy and a nuisance to the home defence with his pace and willingness to chase and harrass. Could

have scored at least two but for saves and blocks

7 Monkhouse: Won the penalty when he didn't look favourite to get to the ball, but should have done better with first half chances

Subs:

Liddle (for Humphreys 46): Dropped to the bench, but introduced at the break and got stuck in 6

Brown (for Horwood 84)

Luscombe (for Poole 90)

(not used): Boyd, Rafferty (gk)

MAN OF THE MATCH

NEIL Austin - as disappointing as he was against Charlton he was as confident and impressive this time out.