WHEN Hartlepool United thumped Oldham on New Year's Day, their season was full of hope and promise. But, as convincingly as they won 4-1, they were routinely beaten at Boundary Park last night. That January 1 win was Pool's last victory, some seven games ago. Offering very little in attack, as they created only a couple of half-chances from set-plays, their normally tight defence was breached four times for the second time in as many away games. Sky Sports presenter Jeff Stelling took the rare chance to watch his Pools side last night. Fair to say, he wasn't feeling good. Likewise, Mick Wadsworth: "I thought at one-nil we were in the game. Their first venture in our box in the first-half ended in a goal, same in the second half. "We went to pieces a bit defensively which is disappointing. We made mistakes and we know it. We didn't deal with things and it's cost us. "Goals one and two killed us. Scott Flinders was busy all night, he made his share of stops and saves and saw the ball early on, confidently racing off his line for early touches. But he was beaten seven minutes into his return from injury and Pools were as good as beaten. When Oumare Tounkara took possession on the left side, the entire Pools' backline had been sucked inside, leaving the Sunderland loanee in space. His shot was saved, but Aidan White was lurking to turn in from close range. Pools had an instant chance to level and if there was evidence of a need for a goalscorer in the side, it was here. Andy Monkhouse's curling ball from the left was begging to be turned in, even more so when defender Neal Trotman sidefooted it back across the face of his goal, but the orange shirts, so static at the back for the Latics' opener, were equally statuesque at the other end. And the visitors failed to learn from the opener. Austin again drifted inside, leaving Tounkara in space, his shot was saved, White was in the same spot from where he scored, but hit the post. Pools chance to level came on 40 minutes, Sam Collins heading a Evan Horwood corner wide. Collins, five minutes after the restart, met another Horwood flag kick and his header was saved. But Pools conceded a second entirely of their own doing. Peter Hartley failed to deal with a long ball and two attempts at heading back to Flinders put Filipe Morais in with a chance. His shot from an angle was knocked off the line by Neil Austin, but Chris Taylor smashed in. Wadsworth's mantra of KISS – Keep It Simple Stupid – which he instigated pre-season for the centre-half and has worked so effectively wasn't heeded. Wadsworth responded by putting on Ritchie Humphreys and Leon McSweeney, unfortunate to be dropped, for James Brown and Ryan Donaldson. The latter made little impact and looked like a midfielder being asked to do a striker's job. But Pools soon went three down with a rasping drive from Cedric Evina. There was little on when he picked up possession but he thumped his shot across Flinders into the far side of the net. And in injury time, three became four and a repeat of their last away game at Peterborough. Evina crossed and Reuben Reid headed in from the six yard box. Pools could have no complaints. Goals: White (7, 1-0); Taylor (52, 2-0); Evina (70, 3-0), Reid (90, 4-0) Bookings: Morais (24, kicking ball away); Murray (25, foul); Liddle (27, foul); Austin (77, foul) Referee: Paul Tierney (Wigan) 6 Attendance: 3,056 OLDHAM (4-4-2): Amos 6, Lee 6, Hazell 7, Trotman 7, Evina 7; White 5 (Feeney 78), Furman 7, Stephens 8, Morais 7 (Jones 88); Taylor 6, Tounkara 7 (Reid 71). Subs (not used): Brill (gk), Todd, Black, Winchester. HARTLEPOOL UNITED (4-5-1): FLINDERS 7; Austin 5, Collins 6, Hartley 4, Horwood 6; Brown 5 (McSweeney 63, 5), Murray 6, Sweeney 5, Liddle 5, Monkhouse 5; Donaldson 4 (Humphreys 63, 5). Subs (not used): Gamble, Boyd, Yantorno, Haslam, Rafferty (gk). MAN OF THE MATCH DALE Stephens – neat, tidy and compact in midfield