Keith Curle angered by 'night and day' performances from 'frail' Hartlepool United following Stockport County humbling

Hartlepool booked their spot in the third round of the FA Cup a week ago with their performance of the season in a 3-1 win but Curle was unable to see his side get anywhere near replicating it as they were humbled by Stockport and the returning Dave Challinor.

It has been an issue plaguing Hartlepool throughout the season whether it be stringing together consecutive 45 minutes or back-to-back performances as they were left embarrassed at the Suit Direct Stadium after a 5-0 mauling.

Kyle Wootton capitalised on a short header back to Ben Killip by Reghan Tumilty to lift over the goalkeeper before adding a second when getting on the end of Will Collar’s low ball to convert from close range four minutes later.

The quickfire double appeared to suck the life out of Pools who offered little in the way of a response until winger Jake Hastie missed a golden opportunity to reduce the deficit on the stroke of half-time when slicing wide from 12-yards when clear on goal.

And despite a change at the break, Curle’s side failed to muster up anything meaningful at Ben Hinchliffe’s goal as, instead, County added to their tally in the second half.

An unmarked Paddy Madden guided a header beyond Killip from a corner before substitute Callum Camps poked in a fourth when capitalising on Rollin Menayese’s failed clearance.

And the agony continued for Hartlepool as Collar made it a five-star performance from the visitors when finishing well in the area as Challinor returned to haunt his former side.

“No I don’t think [the manager returning impacted things], there weren’t a lot of players here who were under the previous regime,” Curle told The Mail.

“They’re seven or eight places above us and they looked a good unit and we didn't. We looked fragmented and frail. A complete contrast to last week.”

Curle added: “If you have a look at last week’s performance in the cup it was a night and day performance.

“Today, 16 minutes in and we gifted them a goal. Up until that there was nothing between the teams, nothing in either box was of any alarm. Then the second goal straight after and that’s what we seem to be like.

“That [Hastie’s opportunity] would change the atmosphere if we’re going in 2-1 down knowing that, after not the best of starts to the game, at 2-1 you’re still in it and competing. But then the third goal straight from a corner kills you.

“The one thing I would guarantee is that every player would rather put in a performance like they did last week, today. The secret is getting that same player to turn up with that same mindset.

“Last week we didn’t give a goal away after 16 minutes. The week before that we were 3-0 down after 20 minutes, so there’s a frailty about us.

“It’s about positive mindsets and part of that positive mindset is not giving opportunities to the opposition. Every player that we’ve got here can do good things, but they’ve got mistakes in them. We need to eradicate the mistakes.”