Hartlepool United 1-1 Crewe Alexandra: The key takeaways as Paul Hartley's side suffer another late blow

Paul Hartley’s side were within four minutes, plus stoppage time, of claiming that elusive first league win of the season before Daniel Agyei handed Pools that sinking feeling once again.

Pools had taken the lead through Josh Umerah’s first half penalty but the striker would miss a number of second half opportunities to seal the points for Hartley’s side.

And here are some of the key takeaways from the latest frustrating draw.

That sinking feeling

The pin went into the proverbial balloon when Agyei slid in Crewe’s equaliser late in the game, and it wasn’t just on the pitch.

In the stands too, there was a collective, despairing, sigh.

For the second successive game, Pools were within minutes of sealing all three points.

Hartley revealed it felt like a defeat when his side conceded a 94th minute equaliser against Colchester United, only to repeat that notion here at the slightly more considered time from Crewe in the 86th minute.

But it does make you wonder where the morale goes from here within the dressing room?

Full-back Reghan Tumilty admitted the mood was low after the final whistle when saying: “Not much was said. Everyone is just down and disappointed and we’re disappointed for the fans.”

And yet somehow, Pools need to muster up a response as they make another long journey south to face Sutton United at the weekend.

The concern, though, has to be whether that mentality, and that low mood, become an issue.

Eight games into the season seems, perhaps, a little premature to suggest things can’t turn around, but with Pools falling to the same end in back-to-back fixtures there is a fear that they are unable to get across the line.

The longer Pools’ winless run continues, the greater the weight around the shoulders of players.

Twice we have now seen Pools retreat in the second half of games which were there to be taken and won, and twice we have seen them concede late.

Without question, it’s four points dropped.

Is there a tactical switch?

With conceding late in successive fixtures, there are justifiable questions raised about the mentality of players - that fear of not succeeding jeopardising those moments of near success - as Hartley alluded to when raising concerns about the game management from his side.

But with that said, is there anything Hartley himself can do to prevent it?

Against both Colchester and here against Crewe, Pools have come out in the second half and appeared a little deeper in their set-up, which has only contributed to inviting pressure for the opposition.

There is a fine line between protecting a lead through game management and not willing an opposition on.

Missed opportunities

But where Pools struggled to get out at all against Colchester, here Hartley’s side did fashion a series of excellent opportunities to seal the game - the majority of which fell to the man supporters would have hoped they would land to.

First Umerah was denied by a fine save from Arthur Okonkwo after getting on the end of an excellent delivery from Tumilty.

In fairness to Umerah, this was perhaps the most difficult of the three second half opportunities he had, but it was one of those where if he was able to direct the ball towards either corner he more than likely would have beaten Okonkwo.

The second was an opportunity fashioned through Umerah’s own hard work when stealing the ball from defender Luke Offord on halfway.

To credit the Crewe defence, they chased Umerah back well, which forced the striker to cut-back on himself when going through one-against-one, which would then take the sting out of his attempt at goal.

The criticism of Umerah here came in that he had runners alongside him, particularly Clarke Oduor, who would have had a clear sight of goal.

And Umerah would make it a hat-trick of squandered opportunities following Crewe’s equaliser when substitute Joe Grey teed up the 25-year-old on the edge of the area but he curled high and wide at the first time of asking.

“He was good. He’s a handful isn’t he?” Hartley said of Umerah.

“But when you get chances sometimes as a striker you’ve got to take them.

“I felt comfortable tonight. I thought we were fine and we dealt with everything they threw at us. Our keeper doesn’t have much to do tonight. But at the other end we could tie the game up.”

It seems slightly harsh to criticise Umerah who has, for the most part, proved to be a good signing this summer.

But in a game of such fine margins, and with Pools, by this point, desperate for that first league win, you need to capitalise on any opportunity you get.

Fitness concerns

The fitness of Pools has been something of an issue for the most part of the early season in that a number of players appear to be off the pace, having not enjoyed much game time or a pre-season, or who fatigue in the second half of games.

Tumilty, by his own admission was an example here, after a series of lung-busting runs eventually caught up with him as Charlie Finney was able to sneak inside to provide the cross for Agyei’s equaliser.

“I think down here people are faster and stronger so I need to get up to that pace personally myself,” Tumilty conceded post-match.

Meanwhile, Hartley added: “We were trying to make a substitution and take Reghan off because he’d gone down with cramp or a little soreness on his ankle but we couldn’t manage it because the fourth official is too busy talking.

“But we’ve got to defend the situation much better.”

But eight games into the season, those match fitness issues should be starting to iron themselves out, and at the moment it is impacting Pools.