Hartlepool United must take criticism 'on the chin' after poor run of form - Lee Clark
Hartlepool United suffered a fourth defeat in their last five games at National League rivals Kidderminster Harriers on Friday night.
Lee Clark has insisted he understands the criticism aimed at his Hartlepool United side in the wake of their defeat at National League rivals Kidderminster Harriers.
Pools travelled to the Midlands in good heart after Chris Popov had netted his first goal for the club to give his side a narrow home win against Woking six days earlier and that ensured a run of three consecutive defeats had been brought to an end at Victoria Park.
Clark retained his faith with the vast majority of the starting eleven that had saw off the Cards in that win - but was forced into a change in goal after a thigh injury meant on-loan Chelsea keeper Max Merrick was replaced by former Middlesbrough academy stopper Nathan Fisher. However, a lacklustre display was well and truly punished by the Harriers as they moved into the National League play-off places with what felt like a routine win over Clark’s men. The hosts were on top from the opening stages as the likes of Lewis Walker and Max Brogan both going close to grabbing the first goal of the game with the latter striking the post with a powerful effort that had beaten Fisher.
It was an own goal that eventually opened the scoring on 34 minutes as Pools defender Neo Eccleston deflected a cross beyond Fisher - and the wing-back’s night went from bad to worse when he was sent off for the second time this season in the early stages of the second-half.
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Pools somehow remained in the game until the final five minutes when the impressive Callum Stewart doubled the hosts lead to condemn Clark’s men to a fourth defeat in their last five games. An impressive band of travelling Poolies left the head coach and his players only too aware of their frustration and anger over a disappointing display at Aggborough - and Clark insisted he and his squad have to take that criticism ‘on the chin’.
Speaking after the game, he told BBC Tees Sport: "They didn't deserve that. They were top, we were poor and rightly so, they let us now. I've got to take that on the chin and make sure I can rectify the problems that we had tonight."
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