A CHANGE in players, an alteration in formation, but the same outcome for Hartlepool United.
They suffered a third defeat on the trot at the weekend, falling at home to Wycombe Wanderers.
But, despite the disappointment – and anger from some supporters – Mick Wadsworth is too wily and shrewd to get carried away.
As much as he wasn’t shouting from the rooftops when Pool went nine without loss from the start of the season, he won’t be getting down about this loss.
Instead, it’s the old mantra of work and more work and his players will find out this morning in training that Wadsworth feels there is only one way to halt the current run.
“We don’t panic and start throwing the baby out of the bathwater, we stay measured and focused,” he said.
“Yes, we changed formation this week and the players have been terrific with it in training. The way we were playing in training gave great hope and we didn’t see that coming.
“The fundamentals still have to be there, the pressing, blocking and all that side of it, marking, covering – the fundamentals are what wins football matches.
“It was a bold try to play a more measured game in terms of bringing the ball out of the back and it worked at times, but you have to finish it with a shot or a goal.
“Because on two occasions from us being in good situations, they have scored a goal. Now a lot of things have to happen from there to there to there, but I don’t think we defended as a team and it is a team.
“We didn’t play as well as we can, as well as we should, as well as we will do.”
From the off, with their new 3-5-2 formation, Pool lacked fluency and were hesitant particularly in defence.
The Chairboys went in front when Scott Donnelly knocked in from close range and it was two shortly after.
Pool were on the attack, Andy Monkhouse got into the penalty area but his low ball evaded all, was picked up by the visitors and seconds later Stuart Beavon was turning inside the Pool area to finish low.
They tried in the second half to forge a leveller and Neil Austin headed over when he should have scored.
Monkhouse had a shot cleared off the line and Adam Boyd’s spectacular follow up was saved. The substitute scored late on from the spot, but by then Sam Collins had put the ball into his own net to make the score worse.
Wadsworth added: “The last two performances have been disappointing. We’ve gone from being one of the best defences in the league and now shipped six goals in the last week and we will work on it.”
HARTLEPOOL UNITED: Flinders; Wright, Collins, Hartley; Austin, Murray (Boyd 61), Liddle, Sweeney (Luscombe 45), Horwood; Monkhouse, Poole (Nish 61). Subs (not used): Rafferty (gk), Humphreys.
Goal: Boyd pen 88.
WYCOMBE WANDERERS: Bull; Basey, Johnson, Winfield, Foster; Donnelly, Lewis, Rowlands, Ainsworth (Tunnicliffe 80); Strevens, Beavon (Ibe 89). Subs (not used): Grant, Tunnicliffe, McCoy, Harris.
Goals: Donnelly (15), Beavon (36), Collins og (88).
Booked: Johnson (foul).
Referee: Darren Drysdale (Lincoln). Attendance: 5,241.
