How did Pools get on yesterday?

Pools made the long journey to East London yesterday as they took on Leyton Orient at the Matchroom Stadium. Last season Pools put in one their most impressive performances of the season as they swept aside an Orient side who where sitting top of the league.

However yesterday's performance and result could not have been further from that of last season.

Pools started the game brighter than their London hosts but soon slumped into a performance that resembled one of those Pools fans have got used to watching on their travels.

It had looked as if Pools had turned a corner with four straight wins but they where brought straight back down to earth yesterday.

Joel Porter was Pools biggest threat and should have opened the scoring as he raced clear of the Orient defence only to fire his shot straight at O's keeper Glenn Morris.

James Brown was a constant threat to Orient left back, Danny Granville, and created Pools next chance. After a jinking run to down the right wing his pin-point cross found the head of Kevin Kyle who, at the back post, couldn't steer the ball into the empty net and saw the ball fly behind for a goal kick.

However, this was the end of Pools attacking prowess in the first half as the hosts started to take control of the game.

Sean Thornton fired a stunning free kick of the bar and just as the Pools upright was recovering JJ Melligan cut inside of his right wing and unleashed a thunderous left footed drive past the helpless Arran Lee-Barret who was rescued by his left post.

The Second half started in much the same fashion, with Orient having the majority of possession without creating too many clear cut opportunities. As the rain continued to pour, Pools started to come back into the game with James Brown the usual outlet on the right hand side

However, this was not to last long as Danny Wilson decided it would be better for Brown to play upfront as he switched Brown and Porter. This took away all Pools' impetus and the game duly faded away. As hard as Brown and Porter tried they could not get Pools back into the game and shortly after Adam Boyd was introduced the obvious happened.

Gary Liddle bottled a challenge in the centre of the park and Boyd received the ball 40 yards from goal. He turned Ben Clark with ease carried the ball 20 yards and saw his deflected shot fly past Barret in the Hartlepool goal as he sealed victory against his former club.