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There's no doubt the season that promised so much hit the nadir as Blackpool, in the bottom four before the game, thumped Pool to inflict a defeat that was utterly unthinkable beforehand.

With Bristol City beating Swansea and Pool making it nine games without a win - or three points from a possible 27 - Martin Scott's side are in the drop zone.

And it's now more difficult than ever to see how they will get out of it.

They are not scoring goals - it's five in the nine games since they last won - not looking like they are going to either and apparently they showed more fight in the dressing room come 5pm on Saturday than they had for the two hours previous.

When a group of stewards make a beeline for the changing room as voices - and more - are raised, it's fair to say all is not well.

Players had already been at each others' throats during the game, especially when Pool were reduced to ten men as Micky Barron was sent-off.

Perhaps that well-documented team spirit that has been so pivotal in recent successes has disappeared with the three points that used to be a home banker every week at Victoria Park.

The only record they are capable of beating this season is that for the least number of home wins in a season. They so far have mustered three and still need another three to avoid the ignominy of joining the class of 1923-4 and 1962-3.

Scott has lost the crowd, that was clear on Saturday as they turned vociferously on the boss.

If he's lost the dressing room as well it's going to be even harder.

The games when Pool were unlucky and came away with nothing for their sterling efforts have gone.

The whole day and aftermath was an utter embarrassment for all concerned and two red cards and three penalties merely added to the drama.

Neither Scott or his players were speaking in the immediate aftermath of events, but the boss later declared: "It wasn't good enough and I cannot defend anyone after that performance. We are all in it together and that goes as much for me as it does anyone.

"We all put a lot of effort in during training all week to progress and make us better and that that sort of performance happens.

"There have been games this season when we haven't had the luck and we didn't on Saturday. If I'm being honest it was a very, very poor performance.

"We even had a chance to get back into it and it just didn't happen and then we go and concede a penalty within 15 seconds.

"In games like that we need players who want to pass the ball, get the ball and defend to help their team-mates to get out of it.

"We have to want to get back in possession and have a real desire to run that extra yard in there, to show character, like we have in previous games.'' Such luminaries as Dave Burgess, Keith Oliver and Paul Thompson were part of the side that last lost a home game 3-0 in the Football League.

And Keith Houchen's set-up had nowhere near the resources Scott has had; they couldn't lace the boots of some of the current crop of players.

That defeat was in September 1994. Since then there's been two other three-goal home reverses, both by 4-1, to Macclesfield in February 2000 and QPR in March 2004.

Pool didn't start like a team suffering from a confidence crisis and there were no signs of the traumas to come.

Blackpool were down to ten men after 11 minutes. Gavin Strachan's touch took him past Marcus Bean, but he was soon horribly hit two-footed by Neil Wood.

Thankfully, Strachan continued after treatment when everyone had feared the worst.

But Pool never stretched the reduced opposition and chances were still hard to come by.

The teams were evened up when the defence was caught flat pushing up and Marc Joseph's long ball found Keigan Parker.

He got goal side of Micky Barron, Gerard Nash and Micky Nelson and was tripped by Barron in the area.

The red card was Pool's sixth of the season. In five months Pool have had more dismissals than they had in the previous four years. Discipline has gone on and off the pitch.

Peter Clarke slotted in his first penalty of the day.

Scott had gambled by putting Adam Boyd on the bench, but, with things going awry, put him on at half-time.

For 20 minutes he tried to drag his side into it and he certainly lifted spirits inside Victoria Park.

He broke away to take Jon Daly's pass, cut the ball into the area and Tony Butler handled.

Penalty to Pool.

And surely Boyd would be the saviour on his first run out since September?

Instead his low spot-kick was turned aside by Lee Jones. Two passes later and Nelson tripped Parker in the area.

Clarke made it two from the spot and it was soon three. Parker, who caused endless problems with his strong running, nipped past Nelson and buried a low shot under Dimi Konstantopoulos.

One of their worst performances of recent years came at Blackpool's Bloomfield Road, when Pool lost 4-0 in October 2003.

This was a worse day all round.

MATCH FACTS

Goals: Clarke (28 pen, 0-1; 74 pen, 0-2); Parker (82, 0-3) Bookings: Pittman (foul, 25), Parker (kicking ball away, 47); Butler (72, handball); Nelson (foul 81) Sendings-off: Wood (serious foul play, 11min); Barron (serious foul play, 25min) Referee: Carl Boyeson (Hull) - Red cards cannot be argued by anyone 7 Attendance: 4,421

HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-4-2): 5Konstantopoulos: Can hardly be blamed for twice being beaten from the spot; 3Barron: Professional foul meant game was over before it started. 3Nelson: Certainly his worst display in a Pool shirt. 2Nash: Suffered from a severe lack of confidence as the game went on. Elementary defensive mistakes.5Humphreys: First time he's played as a centre half, when Pool went to three at the back; 5E Williams: One of the few to keep his effort going. 4Sweeney: Always on the fringe of the game, but did plenty of work without making an impact. 5Clark: Replaced at the break, when it could have been anyone.5Strachan: He's no left winger, but did the job asked in the first half; 4Daly: Nothing like his previous two performances. 5PITTMAN: Moved to the left wing where he used his pace in the second period.Subs: Boyd (for Clark 46): The game's most influential player for 20 minutes, then he missed a penalty. 5 Bullock (for Strachan 74) Foley (for Pittman 83) BLACKPOOL (4-4-2): Jones 7;

Joseph 6, Butler 7, Clarke 7 (Southern 85), Prendergast 5; Morris 5, Wood 2, Bean 7, Wilcox 5; PARKER 9 (Kuqi 87), Murphy 7. Subs (not used): Pogliacomi, Taylor, Wiles.

MAN OF THE MATCH

KEIGAN Parker - ran the Pool defence ragged

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