John Askey's 'seething' remarks on Hartlepool United's defensive struggles

Hartlepool’s defensive woes continued at Marsh Lane after conceding three goals in seven second half minutes on their way to a 5-2 defeat.

It’s an issue which is now of extreme concern to Askey – who has yet to see his side keep a clean sheet in 21 games in charge, with Pools having not shut out the opposition since early February.

Pools were in control of the game at Oxford, having taken the lead through Joe Grey, before Olly Sanderson levelled the scores against the run of play.

But it was the nature of Hartlepool’s second half collapse which will both anger and worry Askey with his side, yet again, unable to deal with set pieces and crosses into the box.

Sanderson’s goal in the first half came from a cross on the right but Canice Carroll’s equaliser was the result of a recycled free kick which Pools were unable to deal with, before mistakes from both Luke Hendrie and Emmanuel Onariase helped the Hoops race into a 4-2 lead in the second half.

Oxford added a fifth with Pierre Fonkeu’s second of the afternoon which, again, came from a set piece delivery.

It takes Hartlepool’s tally against to 17 conceded in just eight games – only worsened by Aldershot Town (18) and AFC Fylde (21) in the National League.

"I’m seething,” admitted Askey.

"I just can’t get my head around it. We’ve worked on that more than we’ve worked on anything else and it’s letting us down, and it’s letting us down badly.

"It’s hugely concerning,” he added.

"The first thing you do is you work from the back. If you can get a solid foundation and start scoring goals then you win games, but to go seven months without a clean sheet, then there’s obviously something wrong.

"We gave a free kick away in the corner and, again, we’ve not been able to defend a ball into the box.

"It’s happening week in, week out. We keep working on it. I think we can all see it. But not only are we not defending set pieces well enough, we’re not scoring goals from our own set pieces and that tells you something.”