THE early-season talk on the Victoria Park terraces was of legends and the Championship – but autumn has brought relegation form.

Hartlepool United’s final cup game of 2011 suggested a reality somewhere in the middle.

Reading too much into their FA Cup first-round exit to Stevenage was difficult, so skewed was it by a controversial eighth-minute decision.

When Chris Laird converted a penalty after Scott Flinders was sent off for upending Chris Beardsley, Hartlepool’s fifth straight home defeat already looked inevitable.

That Andy Monkhouse almost earned a replay, striking the crossbar with nine minutes left, won them immense credit – if little else.

Having headed into October unbeaten, Hartlepool have won just once since.

The momentum was started by a season ticket initiative which added a couple of thousand to the gate. In a division littered with more than its fair share of fallen giants, the crowds have been nothing out of the ordinary to visiting teams, but brought expectations a small-town club is unused to.

“Some of the fans you talk to say you could be legends if you take us to the next level,” said Stephen Wright.

“For someone to say legends at any club – well, come on. Get to the next level, and see where we can go. We gave ourselves a good chance, so why not?”

While the former Liverpool and Sunderland player clearly relished helping Hartlepool into the second tier for the first time, perhaps such expectations weigh more heavily on others.

Saturday’s performance came in front of a home crowd more than 2,400 lower than anything in League One this term. Outnumbered for more than 80 minutes, expectations were pretty low.

Manager Mick Wadsworth must have wondered who he had upset after losing James Brown (groin), Sam Collins (calf) and Colin Nish (knee) to injury in the space of an hour on Friday.

After prowling the touchline in a suit for the first time in his career as his contribution to Hartlepool’s Remembrance commemorations, he was scathing about referee Mark Haywood.

Flinders rushed from his goal as Beardsley raced onto John Mousinho’s pass. When the striker tried to round him, Flinders took his legs.

“For sure it’s not, it’s not, it’s not a clear goalscoring opportunity,” Wadsworth asserted. “It had gone into Aussie (Neil Austin)’s path as the foul was being committed. I’m sure he wouldn’t have got to the ball.

“Some of the yellow cards handed out seemed, for me, a little bit one-sided. I don’t like to say that.”