Peterborough 4 Hartlepool 0

MICK Wadsworth is hoping to add a new striker to his squad ahead of tomorrow’s game with Notts County at Victoria Park – and how they need one.

Pools have gone 381 minutes since a goal in League One, Ritchie Humphreys’ header in the 69th minute of the January 1 win over Oldham the last time they scored.

Midfielder Antony Sweeney has ten to his name this season, but scoring goals has been a problem, with only 26 in 24 games.

The recognised strikers in the first-team squad have scored only five times between them this season.

While Roy O’Donovan’s goals kept Pools up in League One last season – he netted nine times in 15 games on loan from Sunderland – a return to the club for the Irishman remains a long shot.

Since moving to Coventry in the summer he has made only one start in the League Cup, lasting 90 minutes, and three substitute appearances totalling 34 minutes, but his hefty weekly wage is likely to put him out of Pools’ reach.

“I hope to bring a striker in on Monday. He’s a young player and is a goalscorer,’’ said Wadsworth.“We’ve spoken to the host club and they’re happy and willing to lend him for at least a month.

“He’s got a good pedigree at youth level and is a very exciting prospect. Hopefully he’ll be with us in time for Tuesday, but if not we’ll get him in before the Oldham game.

“We’ve gone so long without scoring so of course it’s a concern, but we did create chances. We’ve got to look at that and hopefully we can do something about it on Monday.’’ Pools have been the meanest side on the road this season, nine goals conceded in 14 games before this one. They have still only been breached once before half-time in away games, which is some feat.

But other than massaging their statistics, it counted for little at London Road. Three goals in six-mad second-half minutes was their downfall.

After conceding two in two minutes in the FA Cup loss at Watford, they went one better – or worse – this time. Posh scored two in 91 seconds, with a third arriving four minutes later.

“It was just a crazy, crazy six or seven minutes and it’s disappointing because it’s something we’re not used to,’’ said Wadsworth.

“We talk a lot about concentration and discipline and I thought defensively we lost that.

“I won’t single out individuals because that’s not fair but I will speak to those players and we’ll deal with it in training before Tuesday’s game.’’ By the time they were breached, Pools should have been ahead. The sides were well matched and there was nothing in the game.

Right on half-time, as Pools were really growing into the game, Andy Monkhouse crossed for Sweeney.

Eight yards from goal, he should have bagged his 11th of the season, but instead sent his free header horribly wide.

“Of all the culprits Tony had the easiest chance. I’m not having a go because he’s done fantastically well for us, but as headers go that was fairly easy – I think he had a Toblerone box on his head,’’ said Wadsworth.

When Posh scored two of their opening three with their heads, it was more akin to being given chocolates from the Pools defence.

Peter Hartley was forced off with illness, replaced by Armann Bjornsson and, while the Icelander had a steady game at Bristol in midweek, on this occasion he was found wanting.

Three of the Posh goals came from an area manned by him and Evan Horwood.

First they failed to clear after missing three chances to do so, and when the ball was headed across the penalty box, Craig Mackail-Smith raced in to head past Kean.

For the second, George Boyd ghosted across the field and his shot bobbled and deflected to catch Kean off balance as he dived to save. His oustretched boot knocked it on to the bar, but Tommy Rowe was quickest to net the rebound.

For the third, Mackail- Smith took possession from a thumping half-way headed clearance, picked his spot and Lee Tomlin ghosted in between left-back and centrehalf to nod in.

Safe in the knowledge Pools wouldn’t score three the game was over. Posh suddenly looked like a good team full of confidence, while Pools looked deflated.

The fourth arrived when a free-kick wasn’t dealt with and Chris Wesolowski ran on to it and crashed it into the net.

“It’s a game we shouldn’t have lost 4-0 and it’s a poor, poor defensive performance over a seven-minute period,’’ said Wadsworth.

“We were in the game firsthalf and I was very pleased with how it was going, we were solid and I thought we’d get something on the counterattack or from a set-play.

“Then the rug was pulled from under our feet and it was too late to come back.’’

Match facts

Goals:

1-0: Mackail-Smith (62, ran in to head Wesolowski’s ball beyond Kean)

2-0: Rowe (64, after Kean kicked Boyd’s deflected shot onto the bar, he reacted quickest to score)

3-0: Tomlin (66, met Mackail-Smith’s cross to steal space on Horwood and score)

4-0: Wesolowski (90, drilled a low shot inside the far post)

Bookings: Austin (31, foul), Lee (41, foul)

Referee: Rob Lewis (Shrewsbury): Bit bewildering at times to all 5

Attendance: 5,800

Entertainment: ***

PETERBOROUGH UNITED (4-3-1-2):

Lewis 5, Whelpdale 5, Langmead 6, Bennett 6, Kennedy 4; Wesolowski 7, Lee 7, Rowe 6; Boyd 6; MACKAILSMITH 8, Tomlin 6. Subs (not used):

Collis (gk), Little, Mendez-Laing, Davies, Obika, Clayton, Basey.

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-3-1-2):

5 Kean: Useful first-half saves, one outside his area with his legs/backside, but exposed in the second half

5 Austin: Late and crunching tackle on Tomlin on the touchline in the first-half got him booked

6 Collins: Dominant return to the side for an hour, but missed Hartley when he went off

7 HARTLEY: Put in a cracking tackle to halt a Posh break minutes before he went off ill – and from then on Pools struggled

3 Horwood: Switched off and napping as Posh attacked down his side and three goals came from that area

6 McSweeney: Saw his share of space in the middle of the pitch and did his best to make the most of it

5 Gamble: Neat and tidy again in central midfield, but lost his way later on

6 Liddle: Moved to the left side of a middle three, put his share of graft and sliding tackles in

4 Sweeney: His missed opening on half-time proved pivotal and costly. Should have put his 11th of the season away

5 Humphreys: Didn’t look like he was going to score in a performance when he chased and harassed

5 Monkhouse: Dropped deep for possession at times like he did last Tuesday.

Experiment of playing up front hasn’t really worked

Subs:

Bjornsson (for Hartley 53): Replaced Hartley, but joined a back four that lacked authority and determination for the last half hour 3

(not used): Flinders (gk), Boyd, Yantorno, Murray, Mackay, Haslam.

MAN OF THE MATCH

CRAIG Mackail-Smith – a problem in the first-half, but was dealt with then.

In the second-half, however, it was a different story.