Morecambe boss Jim Bentley: Hartlepool defeat my lowest moment

The Shrimps lost for the 22nd time this season against Pools on another wretched afternoon in what has fast turned into a terrible season.

Bentley vowed to carry on fighting as he apologised to the fans for the second time this week, having also seen his side slump to defeat at bottom side Dagenham & Redbridge on Tuesday night.

He said: “The players deserve criticism because they’re the ones out there but I’ve got to take it on the chin.

“It’s my team and I’ll get my chest out because I’ve got to stand up and be counted.

“I’ll be asking serious questions of myself. It’s the lowest I’ve been.

“We’re in a poor run of form and we’re nearly safe but you can never take anything for granted in football.

“We want to finish the season strongly, win games of football, entertain and give the crowd something to cheer about.

“But we were miles off it today and all I can do is apologise to the fans.

“It was a shocking day for us.”

Bentley saw his side’s defensive frailties exposed time and again, The Shrimps finishing the game with 10 men after Barry Roche’s second red card in five games 15 minutes from time.

Nathan Thomas was the star for Hartlepool, the wide man on target twice as he tormented the Morecambe back line.

Bentley said: “It was terrible from start to finish.

“We got exactly what we deserved. We were beaten by the better side.

“We started poorly and were two goals down very early on and it could even have been three.

“We warmed to the game and got back into it at 2-1 and coming in at half-time we asked the players to go out in the second half and have a go.

“But if we weren’t warned about the dangers of Nathan Thomas in the first half he’s gone and done it again at the start of the second half.

“From there it was a shambles. The fourth goal when Barry Roche was sent off was absolutely shocking, schoolboy stuff, but it sums up our season with regards to how poor we’ve been defensively.

“We’ve got it right going one way, we’ve scored two again, but so wrong going the other way.”