A three-goal, first-half capitulation left Barrow boss Mark Cooper frustrated as his side were well beaten at Hartlepool United.

After a welcome win at Northampton and a solid draw with Tranmere, Cooper will be concerned at the manner in which his side crumbled at the Suit Direct Stadium.

John Rooney put the visitors ahead in the most spectacular of manners, and the Bluebirds could have been out of sight during a spell of dominance.

But they shipped three goals in 16 minutes before the break and the 204 travelling fans headed back across the A66 deflated.

Luke Molyneux tore past Connor Brown on the right, and from his pass, the ball fell for Joe Grey. His shot from 10 yards clipped the bar with keeper Paul Farman beaten.

But on 18 minutes, the returning Rooney showed why Mark Cooper wanted him back at the club.

As Pools went on the attack, the Bluebirds won possession, fed Rooney and, from fully 35 yards, he spotted home keeper Ben Killip wandering around his penalty area and superbly floated the ball home from distance.

It could have been two two minutes later, but Patrick Brough lost his footing in front of goal from a corner.

On 21 minutes, Anthony Glennon turned smartly in the area and his low shot was brilliantly kept out by Killip, when a second goal looked certain.

From what could have been an assured three-goal lead, the Bluebirds were pegged back on 28 minutes, as Pools’ attacker Luke Molyneux caught Farman flat footed with a firm low shot from 20 yards.

And the same player turned the game around on 39 minutes. Picking up possession again on the right side of the penalty area, he cut inside and curled a wicked shot past and around Farman who could do nothing about it.

The home turnaround was complete on 44 minutes. The Bluebirds failed to clear their defensive lines and striker Omar Bogle had time and space to pick his spot and roll his finish home from 10 yards.

The way the Bluebirds crumbled after taking the lead in such style will have been of great concern to Cooper at the break.

Off went midfielder Jason Taylor at the break, one of three Bluebirds yellow carded in the opening 45 minutes, in place of Robbie Gott as Cooper switched from a 3-5-2 formation to 4-4-2.

Pools’ Carlisle-born midfielder Joe White was an assured performer on his first start after arriving on loan from Newcastle United on transfer deadline day.

The Bluebirds won a fortuitous free-kick on the right touchline and threw bodies forward. When Glennon’s set-piece sailed high and wayward over everyone in the area, it said everything about his performance.

Cooper made his final changes on 69 minutes, as Luke James and George Williams were introduced for Jacob Wakelin and Aaron Amadi-Holloway. But it turned into a scrappy affair, as Pools were content to defend deep and try and play on the counter attack, as the Bluebirds offered little going forward.

James, signed from Pools at the start of last season, was thrown into the forward line. He almost enjoyed a memorable return to Victoria Park, as his instinctive volley crashed off the crossbar on 81 minutes.