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But this time there was no-one looking for inspiration or a lift after watching Pool's most convincing performance of the season - stark contrast to the previous game, when lethargic Pool sent everyone home feeling down after losing to Yeovil.

Against the free-scoring league leaders, Pool showed what they are capable of as they comprehensively had the better of the game, a brief spell in the second period aside when the visitors scored twice.

So far this campaign they have shown themselves only in patches, 30 minutes against Darlington, 20 minutes against Yeovil, 45 minutes at Huddersfield.

This was Pool's most complete display and, against a lesser team - or to be more precise a lesser striker than Lee Trundle - they would have broken their home duck.

Instead, it's Pool's fifth Victoria Park game without a win, but this passing performance suggests it won't be very far away.

It also proved to anyone who wasn't at Blackpool the previous week that Martin Scott's latest batch of youngsters will have a big role to play this season.

At Bloomfield Road, Michael Maidens, Stephen Turnbull and David Foley each had a role. Against Swansea they had more time to make their mark and again didn't let anyone down.

Maidens swung over a teasing cross for Antony Sweeney to head Pool level at 2-2, Foley caused problems aplenty with his intelligent running and Turnbull arrived to a chorus of boos as the solid Mark Tinkler was withdrawn, yet it didn't bother him one iota as he soon grabbed hold of the game.

It's a big step from reserve and youth team outings to the Football League, and remember this isn't the bottom rung of the league ladder either.

The exuberance of Pool's teenagers appears to know no bounds.

"I believe in what we are doing and we saw a much, much improved home performance,'' said Scott. "We got a great result at Blackpool and the players showed this time that nothing has changed since day one - we are all willing to work together and we go out to try and win games.

"You could see that and I think the crowd appreciated it after a really good performance and a good game.

"There's a bit of disappointment that we didn't win at home again and that we conceded two quick goals, but we bounced back when we easily could have gone under, and we finished the game strongly and with three youth team players out there.

"In my opinion they changed the game, they looked bright, looked enthusiastic and did very well."

Turnbull is a combative midfielder and, despite his 18 years, doesn't care much for reputations.

He was soon making his mark and using the ball to good affect against the vastly-experienced Roberto Martinez.

Yet the ball of the day came from Maidens.

After being floored out wide and looking for a breather, Steven Istead took possession before Maidens leapt to his feet.

Out on the right flank, he arched his body to whip the ball into the six-yard-box and Sweeney nodded in his third of the season.

While Sweeney took the plaudits behind the goal, Maidens took the adulation of the Mill House terrace as he screamed: "I set that one up."

Darren Williams, Pool's most experienced performer, was first on the scene to offer Maidens his congratulations and Scott added: "I thought he caused them problems all game.

"He found it hard the first 15 or 20 minutes, the step up from youth and reserve level. This is tougher with a higher tempo, more pressurised with a decent sized crowd in.

"But the crowd took to him, they appreciated his workrate and his quality on the ball.

"Even when he was very, very tired and we thought of taking him off, he delivered a quality cross for a goal.

"I'm not scared to stick with this team. I've great faith in these players at the moment and they are doing well.

"Everyone can see those youngsters deserve to be in the first-team, whether on the bench or the team. They will make mistakes, that comes with their inexperience and is only natural - Stephen came on and gave the ball away with his first touch, but what did he do ten seconds later? Got the ball and made a telling pass.

"These lads in the squad now are just part of a group of excellent young players we have at the club and lot of them are not yet even involved at reserve level.''

That Pool had to come from behind was down to Trundle. After being very tightly shackled by both Micky Nelson and Neill Collins in the first period, twice he stole a couple of yards in the second half and twice made his mark.

First he won possession out wide and made a diagonal run into the area. When the ball was nodded back across the area, Trundle was in the right place to plant his header past Dimi Konstantopoulos from six yards.

Then the striker shielded the ball from Collins inside the area and as soon the defender clamped arms on Trundle, he went to ground.

Konstantopoulos stopped the spot-kick but Trundle trundled in the loose ball as Pool's big keeper tore a strip off his team-mates for failing to follow up.

Pool had gone in front as Ritchie Humphreys' free-kick from 25 yards sailed through the dive of wayward keeper Willy Gueret.

Last time out against The Swans, Humphreys bagged a hat-trick. From left back he gave his most accomplished display of the season so far.

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