Hartlepool 0 Rochdale 2

Mar 27 2011 by Stuart Rayner, Sunday Sun

MICK Wadsworth has urged Hartlepool to stay united as their rollercoaster season takes another dip.

With injuries biting at the end of a long season, the Teessiders are looking tired and sorry for themselves.

There was not much sympathy in the stands as they were beaten 2-0 by Rochdale on Friday. Hartlepool were booed off at the end of each half.

Striker Denis Behan was given the bird when he came on for only his second appearance since October. He did little to silence the critics, but with fans like that, who needs enemies?

It all added to the impression of a team limping to the finish line after a third consecutive defeat.

With Steve Haslam’s return from a back injury rushed and Evan Horwood struggling with his ankle, Hartlepool have a patched-up look. But the last thing Wadsworth wants to hear is excuses.

“It’s so difficult to change too many things but we have to get back to work on Monday,” he said. “This is a time to stick together. One or two of the fans were having a pop though most are fantastic.

“As a group, that’s when you stick together. We’ve had some good times this season and you don’t want that to evaporate and dilute.

“We have to get over that finishing line, and that’s another three points needed.”

This season was all about staying in League One; when Hartlepool reached 50 points at Plymouth, there was much back-slapping over a job well done.

Fifty was all they managed in the whole of last term, when Gillingham went down with the same tally. They are still not past the half-century, but Hartlepool are too surely inconsistent for this losing streak to extend to the season’s last 10 matches.

So relegation should not happen, but nor will the play-offs.

With only Horwood and reserve keeper Andy Rafferty – unlikely to play any time soon judging by Scott Flinders’ form on Friday – guaranteed to be back next season, there is still plenty to play for.

Not that you would have known it on Friday. The hosts started well enough, but as soon as Gary Jones put Rochdale ahead with their first shot from inside the area after 23 minutes, all fight disappeared.

Owain Fon Williams must have thought he was in for a busy night when he tipped over Andy Monkhouse’s fourth-minute volley, then denied Sam Collins from the corner.

But he had it easy until substitute Adam Boyd threatened in the final minutes. Williams was nearly embarrassed in the fourth added minute, but Boyd’s spilled shot stayed out of his net.

If the opening goal took the wind out of Hartlepool’s sails, it seemed like Rochdale’s inspiration was Keith Hill’s half-time team-talk. After it, they began to run at the back four, especially Horwood.

When the lively Nicky Adams forced a good save from Flinders, the rebound went in off Will Atkinson. Luckily for the hosts, he was offside.

A minute later Joe Gamble cleared off the line from Jason Kennedy.

Craig Dowson completed the win from 18 yards when Adams’ corner was pulled back for him to smash into the net.

“It’s like driving your car, if you take your eyes off the road for a minute, you can have a prang,” said Wadsworth. He was talking about the second goal, but it applies to the season as a whole.

The solution is obvious. “We have to fight and work really hard,” he said. “We had a bad run in January – similar – and came through and had a fantastic run.

“We’re still pretty confident we will be safe this season but I want more than that. I want to finish this season strongly.”