ANDY King blasted his players for their lack of displipline for almost an hour after this sorry defeat.

He said: "I am totally annoyed as I've told them that if we're going to achieve something this season then we have to get results at a place like this.

"We've had a right to-do in there because it's no good going on about how we're the best side. You have to be disciplined and take the points.''

Town had spurned hatful of chances to equalise after forceing a dozen corners as they chased the game at 1-0, only to be hit y a sucker punch.

King said: "I've told them that unless they become very professional and disciplined then they will continue to get these results. We should be getting a 0-0 or pinching a 1-0 victory. Make no mistake, the conditions were a farce here but you have to fight the elements and get results.

"We have been indisciplined and their second goal was a disaster. We have had a corner at the other end and they've broken away to score.

"I think we must have had 15 chances, of which at least three were very good chances, and if we get the equaliser then I feel we'd have gone on to win the game.

"All of a sudden, with the game still alive, our discipline and defending is atrocious and we are 2-0 down.

"We did the hard part in getting in only 1-0 down. We didn't get the break in the second half having thrown all but the kitchen sink at them."

A howling, bitter wind at Victoria Park made conditions extremely difficult for both teams but having restricted their hosts to just one goal, Town must have fancied their chances with the weind behind them. Hartlepool described it as the Alamo but for all Town's huff and puff, Hartlepool's house would not blow down.

King resolved the Alan Reeves/Andy Nicholas by picking both of them, pushing Andy Gurney into midfield and surprisingly dropping Brian Howard.

Rhys Evans was always in for a difficult first 45 minutes but the young keeper did remarkably well to get his kicks over the halfway line as the wind blew into the faces of the 358 hardy travelling souls behind his goal.

The young keeper held on to a cross from Danny Byrne on three minutes but there was an anxious moment seven minutes later as the ball almost eluded his grasp as Hartlepool striker Eifion Williams threatened to surge past him.

Matty Robson curled a 30 yard free-kick high and wide from 30 yards before Town surged upfield and really should have taken the lead.

Andy Nicholas accelerated forward and picked out leading scorer Sam Parkin on the edge of the area.

He cushioned the ball into the path of Matty Hewlett and the midfielder should have at least tested Pools keeper Jim Provett rather than lashing the ball over the crossbar.

It proved a costly miss as the home side pushed forward and took the lead on 17 minutes.

Evans raced out to meet Australian striker Joel Porter and the Hartlepool man went sprawling under the Town keeper's challenge.

The referee, some distance from the incident, saw his linesman on the right flank signal a spot-kick and he duly pointed to the spot.

Evans protested furiously that he had got a hand to the ball but he was booked nonetheless and Gavin Strachan promptly buried the penalty in the bottom right hand corner of the net.

Tommy Mooney's woodwork curse struck again as he curled a free-kick from the right edge of the box against the woodwork on the half hour. Sadly it would not have counted had the ball found the net as two of his colleagues has strayed offside.

Stefani Miglioranzi, glided forward but once again failed to take responsibility when well placed for a shot.

His pass to Mooney caught the Town striker by surprise and the home side were able to clear once again.

A looping right wing cross from Parkin looked destined to pick out Gurney but just as the Town captain prepared to head goalwards, Micky Barron rose to nod clear.

Mooney was shoved over in the area just before the interval but referee Eddie Evans was not interested in awarding a second penalty.

Jerel Ifil rifled over Town's last chance of the half as the visitors headed for the dressing room in the knowledge that the conditions would swing firmly in their favour for the second period.

King's men returned like men possessed as Hartlepool found themselves pinned in their own half for long periods. Town forced corner after corner after corner but in the cold light of day the statistics show their finishing was not up to scratch as Hartlepool stopper Provett was scarcely tested.

But despite chances galore the goal never arrived and Hartlepool rubbed salt in Town's wounds with a second goal four minutes from time.

The home side broke from a Town corner, Strachan slipped a delightful ball into the path of Wilkinson and the young substitute showed wonderful composure to coolly chip Evans and spark celebrations on the home bench reminiscent of a cup final triumph.