CHALLINOR HOPING TO REPEAT FEAT WITH POOLS
DAVE Challinor is stamping his mark on Hartlepool United. And, after taking AFC Fylde to the play-offs last season, the manager is threatening to repeat the trick.
Victory over Stockport lifted Pools to within three points of the play-off zone.
They managed it thanks to goals from Aidan Keena and Mark Shelton, two players recently signed by Challinor as he turns the club around.
“That was pleasing,” Challinor said. “I’m ever the pessimist me! I think the players need to celebrate a really good performance. That doesn’t get much better than what they have done and even grumpy me can smile.
“Let’s use that as motivation – four unbeaten and keep it going. We go away from home next week to a tough one and try and get three points again. Then confidence builds and the table shows we are in and around it.’’
Gavan Holohan’s low angled shot was pushed out by keeper Ben Hinchliffe, with Keena flagged offside as he followed up.
At the other end, amid a lively opening, County almost went ahead.
Keeper Mitch Beeney spilled a harmless cross and Elliot Osborne’s header was looping in before debutant Macauley Southam-Hales nodded off the line.
Pools took the lead on 31 minutes. A well-worked move on the right saw Mark Shelton cross low from wide and Aidan Keena was in the right place inside the six-yard box to knock home his first goal since moving from Hearts last week.
Gime Toure had a good chance to make it two at the start of the second half. Gary Liddle’s clever flicked header played him in and the striker drove high over the bar from an angle.
But on 52 minutes, they did get their second. Toure pulled the ball back, and it was laid off for Mark Shelton to curl a low shot in from the edge of the area.
Toure raced in on goal and his effort was pushed away by Hinchliffe.
County squandered a fine chance to get one back on 64 minutes when Ash Palmer glanced a free header wide from a free-kick. Two minutes on and the same player sent another header across goal.
Disappointed County boss Jim Gannon admitted: “We just didn’t execute things in the final third as well as I felt we could and they kept asking questions, especially down out left hand side and we couldn’t get out of our half.
“It was always going to be a really difficult game after that. We made changes to try and get a way back, but it didn’t happen. Their passes, their showing for the ball, their platform in was better than ours.
“We had a little go at the end to give our fans something to shout about, but unfortunately we didn’t get something.’’