CHERRIES kept their slim hopes of a Greater Escape alive, but their impressive victory was marred by Gareth Stewart's suspected broken ankle. The Cherries keeper was rushed to hospital after landing badly when claiming a 38th-minute cross and looks set to miss the rest of the season.

Sam Vokes's brace, a bullet header after seven minutes and a deft right-foot finish in first-half stoppage time, was enough to seal the points for Kevin Bond's troops in a largely uninspiring clash at Dean Court. Danny Hollands returned to Bond's starting 11 after serving a one-match suspension, with Jason Pearce making way and Shaun Cooper filling in at right back.

Cherries had the best of the early exchanges, with Hartlepool keeper Arran Lee-Barrett forced into action to gather at the feet of Jo Kuffour after Vokes's neat header into the six-yard box. And in a dominating opening eight minutes, Vokes went from provider to goalscorer to give Cherries a deserved lead. Max Gradel's shot from the edge of the box was deflected away for a corner and Vokes was duly on hand to nod home Warren Cummings's inswinger and send the Dean Court support into raptures.

Marvin Bartley's foul on Michael Nelson gave Hartlepool their first meaningful chance on 15 minutes, but Ritchie Humphreys's 35-yard free kick went straight into the Cherries wall. Jo Kuffour should have put Cherries 2-0 up after 25 minutes after weaving his way through the Hartlepool defence, but Lee-Barrett pushed the former Brentford striker's shot around the post. Antony Sweeney forced Stewart into action on the half-hour, the Cherries keeper beating his shot round the post, before Gradel fired over Lee-Barrett's bar moments later.

Gradel found himself in space on the right again on 33 minutes, but the Leicester loan man's cross was too far in front of the forward-running Vokes. Richard Barker could have put Hartlepool on level terms with 10 minutes of the first half remaining, but his stretched shot finished deep in the North Stand. Then Cherries' quest for survival took a massive blow when Stewart was stretchered off and rushed to hospital after 38 minutes. The Cherries keeper leapt to claim a cross and appeared to land awkwardly on his left leg, but even that failed to knock the wind out of the 10 men in front of him.

And Vokes was on hand to gift Bond's side a 2-0 half-time lead deep into stoppage time. The 18-year-old latched on to a loose ball after Kuffour's graft had split the Hartlepool defence and the Lymington teenager buried the ball past the diving Lee-Barrett with a classy finish into the far corner. Tom Craddock could have reduced the arrears three minutes after the restart, but Pryce saved well down to his left. Vokes had a chance to complete his hat-trick just moments later but the youngster's fizzing shot flew just over the crossbar.

An increasingly desperate Barker was booked by referee Danny McDermid after 57 minutes for a theatrical dive under pressure from Josh Gowling as Wilson's men pushed for a comeback. Brett Pitman replaced Kuffour just past the hour mark and the Jersey-born frontman almost made an instant impact. Vokes broke clear on halfway before bursting into the Hartlepool box, but his pass to Pitman was agonisingly short with the Channel Islander well placed. Sweeney's 78th-minute header flashed past Pryce's left-hand upright and while Wilson's side claimed a large percentage of the second-half possession, they struggled to break down a well-marshalled and resolute Cherries back four.

Sweeney had a fair shout for a penalty waved away by McDermid with eight minutes remaining, the lively midfielder hitting the deck under Josh Gowling's challenge. The impressive Gradel could have made it three with four minutes remaining after running a tired Hartlepool defence ragged. But the winger's shot was parried by Lee-Barrett and Pitman's follow-up gathered safely by the former Weymouth stopper. Joel Porter's weak drive was comfortably saved by Pryce in the dying moments of normal time and, despite a further four minutes of stoppage time, Bond's charges held on for all three points.

We lost...on the road.... again. No change there then. ..... can we have a symbol for disillusioned Mr I...?

Anything after your first five words was wasted energy.

'Waste' seems to be the word that sums up so much about this season.

Disillusioned is only the beginning of how I'm feeling. I'm frustrated and angry but heading towards apathy.

This isn't the team I've supported all my life, apart from being a fitness centre for other clubs in our league, we are a cash cow for end of career player and those who are passing through on their way to better or worse things.

I hope whoever comes in next is a nasty piece of work who doesn't pander to this bunch of arseholes masquerading as professional footballers.

I wouldn't be surprised if we suddenly find some form at the last minute, we finish fifth bottom on the last day of the season, Danny becomes a mini hero and everyone thinks it augurs well for next season....

that report was the one which appeared in the Saturday night football special "The Pink," which I brought home to read.