'One of the worst performances I've been associated with' – Dave Challinor blasts Hartlepool United and referee following bizarre half-time gaffe in 5-0 defeat at Leyton Orient

An Aaron Drinan hat-trick and goals from Harry Smith and Tom James saw Orient claim an emphatic win at Brisbane Road.

For Pools it was a day to forget as they suffered their joint heaviest away defeat since 1995.

Following the match, manager Dave Challinor gave his honest assessment as he said: “From the second goal onwards, it's one of the worst performances I've been associated with as a manager.

"We came to the game full of confidence but this shows where we’re at in terms of the players we have out and how important they are. It highlights the shortcomings of our squad when we have to make changes.

“They pressed us, we had a couple of situations where we need to do better. There are then incidents in the game that we react badly to, I include myself in that.”

Referee Alan Young also had a disappointing afternoon as he failed to send Orient skipper Darren Pratley off with the score at 1-0. He then made a bizarre timekeeping gaffe which saw the half-time whistle blow five minutes early and the remainder of the first half take place after the 15-minute break.

“Darren Pratley was booked, then he handles the ball and the referee decides not to send him off. The referee said it would have been a soft one but it’s a yellow card and he’s on a yellow.

“Then we concede straight away. I've spoken to [the referee] afterwards and he's told me he's had a bad day – not as f****** bad as mine I can tell you that, pardon my French.”

On the first-half resuming after the break, Challinor added: “We played 44-minutes, we then play the final four minutes once we come back out after the break.

"I've never seen anything like it before. To come back out and play four minutes and 20 seconds then immediately turn around for the second half is something no one in the ground will have witnessed before.

"All around, it's not good enough by a long stretch.”

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