DESPITE scoring two goals on his debut, Colchester United marksman Steven Gillespie was quick to take his share of the blame for Saturday's dismal 4-2 defeat at Hartlepool.

Carl Marston

DESPITE scoring two goals on his debut, Colchester United marksman Steven Gillespie was quick to take his share of the blame for Saturday's dismal 4-2 defeat at Hartlepool.

Club record signing Gillespie, fresh from top-scoring with 16 goals for Cheltenham last term, netted a late brace to at least give the score-line some respectability. But this was of no consolation to the former Liverpool trainee.

“It's tough. I've just scored two goals but it won't feel like it on the six-hour journey home. Like the rest of the lads, I didn't play as well as I can,” confessed Gillespie.

“None of us performed. Tactically, we were not clever enough. I don't know why, but we have to sort it out quickly.

“We were just poor all round. Hartlepool used the wind well in the first-half, and the wind was a factor, but we are all professionals and we won't be blaming the conditions. That won't be our excuse.

“Not one of us can hold our head up high and say that they performed. Hartlepool wanted to press us from the first minute, and there was just not enough quality from us.

“We have to deal with this, and it's important that we learn quickly. We must bounce back at Gillingham on Tuesday, because we don't want to have to wait until next Saturday.

“I was happy to take the penalty, and it was a great ball in from Yeatesy (Mark Yeates) for my late header. But there were very few positives today. My goals were of no consolation to the team, or me,” added Gillespie.

Meanwhile, U's boss Geraint Williams rued: “We didn't expect that, although we knew that Hartlepool would come at us with a fast start. We did not heed that warning.

“Three of their strikes were from outside the box, and were phenomenal. But I'm scratching my head at the moment, because we had a good build-up to this game with a good pre-season.

“No one at the club could see this performance coming. We were well beaten today, and we need to analyse why we conceded four goals. We let them have too many shots, and perhaps didn't close them down enough.

“But this is only 90 minutes, it's not an overall season. Steven Gillespie scored a couple of good goals, but that's not fooling anyone.”