AS Hartlepool United’s firstteam coach, Mick Wadsworth doesn’t get too carried away when Pools win, likewise he doesn’t get too down when they lose.

After collecting the December award for manager of the month last Friday, he managed a smile for the cameras, praised his players for putting him in that position and it was back to business.

He’s been around too long and is far too wise to start cracking open the champagne in January.

And today, as he sits on the team bus heading to Bristol for tomorrow’s game at Rovers, he won’t be too down; likewise he won’t let his players get too down after a miserable loss to Dagenham on Saturday.

It was an opportunity passed up, a chance to keep on the edge of the play-offs and get back on track after backto- back defeats.

Facing the division’s bottom club, it should have been straight forward.

And for the first 45 minutes at least, it seemed it was.

Eight chances to Dagenham’s none and enjoying 65 per cent of possession, it was only a matter of time before the breakthrough.

But, as every football fan will testify, sometimes stats count for nothing and Pools ended with just that, not even a point.

Armann Bjornsson’s slack clearance – the ball should have been pumped into the stand – saw the ball played to John Nurse, he was allowed to take possession and edged his cross into the area past standin full-back Leon McSweeney.

Gavin Tomlin nipped across Peter Hartley and poked his effort into the net. Game over.

Pools’ next two opponents, Bristol Rovers and Peterborough have appointed new managers in the last week.

Dave Penney, in charge at Rovers, lost 4-0 at Carlisle on Saturday. He will expect his new charges to respond and Wadsworth is sure they will.

“What this group of players has shown is that they can re-gather, group together and they did it at the start of the season – now we will do it again,’’ he insisted.

“They are terribly disappointed, they have let themselves down and as individuals and as a group, but that happens. It’s not the end of the world, it’s a game of football, one that was in the balance, nothing in it and we had most possession and most play. They had the counter attacks like we did in the first half in a sense and they have the telling goal.

“To a degree, they probably deserved it as they defended the box very well, got a bit of luck but you need that. Our first-half performance was far better than the second.

“I never thought it was going be one of those days, I’m an optimistic sort and even at 1-0 I said to Micky Barron we would have a chance.

“And we did on a free-kick, one of those things when it fell between players and came to nothing.’’ Dagenham last visited Victoria Park in 2005, in an FA Cup tie which Pools edged 2-1.

That day the Daggers were a Conference side and this game had the feel of a similar encounter.

John Still’s honest and hard-working but limited side were second best for the first 45 minutes and by a long way.

But Pools chances, all eight of them, were from distance rather than clear openings.

Their best opening came when Neil Austin and Leon McSweeney linked up on the right, the full-back got forward and his cross evaded all the statues in the penalty area.

It’s times like that when it’s obvious Pools are in need of a real out and out scorer. There are enough strikers on the books but Antony Sweeney’s goals from midfield are far more regular.

He was picked out as a threat at the weekend, likewise James Brown, as both were tightly checked and marked.

The Daggers’ seven and eight-man defensive unit were a barrier and they rarely gave Pools the chance to open the game up. It was a bit like what Pools have done in their share of away games this season.

“It’s been a great run, and we are back in realist land and have to think, fight and work.

We have let ourselves down,”

added Wadsworth.

“We had chances in the first-half, but didn’t take them. We had a few really good moves, but didn’t in the second-half.

“We didn’t cross well or develop as well as we can down the sides and also we didn’t win as many fights in the middle, second and loose balls – that was a big part of losing.

“It could have gone either way, but back to reality.

“We have been on a great run, very confident, and confidence can evaporate just as easily. We now have to get together and work hard.

“It’s Bristol on Tuesday, Peterborough on Saturday and two clubs in transition with new managers in place who will be keen to get some momentum.

“But we have done ok on the road, so let’s get back to it.”

Match facts

Goal:

0-1: Tomlin (84, nipped in at the near post to meet a low cross)

Booking: Ilesanmi (foul 33)

Referee: Eddie Evans (Sale): Could easily have dismissed Ilesanmi for a second booking, but that was all the contentious moments in one 7

Attendance: 2,939

Entertainment: ✰

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-5-1):

5 Kean: The quietest of afternoons, his biggest concern was judging his kicking in and against the wind;

5 Austin: An injury doubt for tomorrow and he would be a miss. Pressed ahead in the first 45 minutes to good use

4 Bjornsson: Played at the back for his height, but that wasn’t an issue. Won his share of flicks in the opposition area, without anyone latching on.

5 artley: Held his line, held firm but will welcome the return of Collins after three defensive partners in the last three games

7 Horwood: Pools often had more drive from him than the rest of the side

5 McSweeney: Bright start, but didn’t run at his hapless opponent anywhere near as much as he should have done

5 Murray: Rarely grabbed the game in the manner he usually does

4 Sweeney: No chances to add to his ten goal tally, and his foraging runs were monitored and checked

4 Liddle: Got stuck in, but was affected by the conditions and hard-working opposition in the middle of the park

3 Monkhouse: Off the boil, dinked a slack ball into the area from a deep angle at the start of the second half and that summed his game up

4 Brown: Picked out as a dangerman, closed down all day and didn’t have any space to create for either himself or his teammates

Subs:

Humphreys (for Brown 67): Went close in injury time, but Pools created too few chances 5 Yantorno (for Austin 77) Boyd (for Murray 85)

(not used): Flinders (gk), Gamble, Haslam, Larkin.

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE (4-4-2):

ROBERTS 7; Vincelot 5, Doe 7, Arber 6, Ilesanmi 2; Elito 4 (Nurse 70, 6), Gain 6, Ilesanmi 6, Ogogo 5; Morgan 6, Tomlin 5.

Subs (not used): Antwi, Scannell, Savage, Currie, Bingham, Lewington.

MAN OF THE MATCH

TONY Roberts – did his job in the first half to allow the visitors to stay in the game.