AFC Wimbledon boss Neal Ardley slammed his charges for dreadful defensive lapses that allowed Hartlepool to take all three points from a 3-1 League Two win.

The Dons were behind at half-time on Tuesday night, but Harry Pell's penalty in the 66th minute levelled matters.

However, Hartlepool, who were unbeaten in four going into the match, rallied and the Dons defence gave Luke James space to head the hosts in front, before a third goal put paid to any hopes for the visitors.

The defeat extends Ardley's run without a win to five, and they face promotion-chasing Oxford United this weekend.

Ardley told Dons Player: "It is difficult to take because once we got back to 1-1 I thought that we would go on and win it.

"Then we have gone and shot ourselves in the foot. I am quite emotional and gutted about it because we did everything right in our preparations, but we have let ourselves down with silly mistakes.

"We have lost a game 3-1 when it should never have been that scoreline in my opinion."

He added: “I am really frustrated because we worked so hard to get back into the game. I am furious with what has gone on for their second goal.

"It was an awful goal to concede in so many ways. It starts with us having the ball at one end and losing it through bad decisions and it ends through poor defending.”