Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor slams 'kamikaze' defending in 5-0 defeat to Torquay United

It was Pools’ joint heaviest home defeat in over 26 years as Torquay solidified their position at the top of the National League table.

And after watching his side keep three consecutive clean sheets before this week’s fixtures, Challinor was ‘embarrassed’ to see his side capitulate so easily in what was their first defeat of the 2020-21 campaign.

"I’m disappointed, embarrassed, it’s nowhere near good enough or where my expectations are,” he said following the full-time whistle.

"The scoreline is one thing but the goals conceded are something else and there was no leadership. It was absolutely kamikaze at times."

“It's an embarrassing scoreline and we need to do the difficult bits better with second balls – Torquay wanted it more and you could see that from the start. We were lazy in our defending and lazy mentally and we lacked any real leadership on the pitch.”

Challinor continued: “You don't need to know what was said to the players after the game, I'm not happy. I put my name to the team and the players but I find it difficult after that performance.”

The match was broadcast live across the country on BT Sport with crowds still not allowed to attend at Victoria Park for the foreseeable future.

"The players are incredibly lucky no one was in the crowd tonight, they would have got absolute pelters and deserved it too.”

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