ON home turf, at Victoria Park this season it wasn't supposed to be like this.

Losing to Stevenage in the first round of FA Cup brought about consecutive home loss number five, a run that has heralded only one goal, and that a penalty.

Their last goal from open play at Victoria Park was Colin Nish's finish in the 74th minute of the win over Bury on September 17.

And, if they were to lose to Yeovil on their next game in front of their own fans on November 26 they would equal a club record for most successive Victoria Park reverses.

Perhaps the run would have been ended if Pools didn't end up playing out 80 minutes against Stevenage with ten men.

But then again, a replay in Hertfordshire a week tomorrow is about as appealing as a possible haul to Plymouth in round two, the reward for Saturday's victors.

Flinders was sent off after he went to ground to dive at the feet of Chris Beardsley when the striker was through on goal. The presence of Neil Austin, the covering defender, meant technically that Flinders wasn't denying a clear goalscoring opportunity.

Austin was ready to nick the ball away when Beardsley, in the process of not having the ball under his control and losing possession, went down.

Referee Mark Haywood followed the letter of the law and Flinders was off, with Andy Rafferty introduced in goal in place of Evan Horwood and beaten by Scott Laird from 12 yards.

"It was a genuine attempt for the ball but as he's committing the foul the ball is in Neil Austin's possession," said Mick Wadsworth.

"It's nowhere near a clear goalscoring opportunity and I'm sure their striker would not have got to the ball.

"The game hinged on it but our players were fantastic from that point on.

"We've had some poor performances at home but if our level of performance is like that from here on in then we're going to do okay."

Back in 2005, Pools suffered a similar FA Cup fate when defender Jack Ross was dismissed, also at the Town End in the opening minutes and the game was as good as ruined.

That day, Pools were also facing a combative and uncompromising team in Brentford. Ross's red was rescinded, but given their lack of faith in the FA and the appeals procedure it's highly unlikely they will appeal this one and Flinders will sit out Saturday's trip to Scunthorpe.

"It's difficult to appeal. You don't get much help with those type of things," mused Wadsworth.

But Rafferty, an appearance against Tranmere behind him from last season, was confident and made a number of good saves to keep Pools in it at one-down.

In the first half, Pools were outmuscled by the visitors and outplayed at times as they stretched play.

They kept right winger Lawrie Wilson pushed forward as an auxiliary attacker and he hogged the touchline to good affect.

Peter Hartley did his best to send him into the Mill House Stand with one welcome sliding crunch, but Wilson was a fraction too sharp.

But in the second half Pools had a go as they forced Stevenage on the back foot. They were allowed to implement their agricultural approach in the first half, but not so in the second.

Pools knew what to expect, they were under the same sort of assault in the League One game in August. Perhaps this time, Graham Westley's side didn't lump as many balls into the area in the hope of picking up second phrase scraps and knock-downs, but their gamesmanship remained at the fore.

"We weren't the aggressors and weren't the guilty party," said Wadsworth.

"Some of the decisions as well (as the sending-off) seemed a little bit one sided, the yellow cards we got for example.

"I don't like saying that because I generally give referees very good marks and I appreciate the difficulty of the job.

"We just have to get on with the rest of the season and get ourselves in the play-offs - that's still the primary aim."

In the second period, Pools had chances for a leveller. Peter Hartley headed a Nobby Solano corner into the side netting, Andy Monkhouse planted a close-range header into keeper Chris Day, substitute Nathan Luscombe sent a diving header wide and Monkhouse, from Adam Boyd's lay-off, clipped the crossbar with Day stranded.

"We took a chance late on and pushed players on and could have equalised," said Wadsworth.

"I thought we deserved a draw and should have been going down there for a replay.

"I wish we'd played crap and won because we'd still be in the cup and that's important."