Wrong Result But Plenty Of Positives

You never want to lose a game, at any standard, level or “so called” importance, however you can sometimes accept defeat more, especially if you have some positives from it.

The reserve league is one such example of this.

You want to do well in this and Craig Hignett will always send out his Hartlepool troops to get a win but you have to see the bigger picture with reserve games and/or development games.

Hignett (and those connected with the club,) will do that, so as much as the 3-1 defeat at Mansfield this week was a disappointment it was a game that would have seen more pluses than minuses taken from it…

Sam Collins had given Pools the lead before the Stags, who quickly levelled, eventually came back to secure the win at the One call Stadium.

The Pools team was as followings:-

Rafferty, Richards, Jones, Collins, Holden, Boagey (Smith 75), Rowbotham, Rutherford, Wignall (Green 75), Poole, Rodney.
Subs not used: Turner, Wood, Nellis.

Hignett wasn’t at all disappointed by what he saw from his young side though and feels that they can be proud of their efforts against a much more experienced Mansfield side, which included plenty with football league experience.

He told the official website: ‘It was always going to be tough because we had a very young side out there.

‘There was much more experience in Mansfield’s team – I think the majority had played quite a few games in the league.

‘However, I thought we knocked it about really well at times in the game and deservedly took the lead and I was pleased for the lads.

‘It`s a learning curve for these young players and tonight was another part of that and I thought they stood up to the challenge really well for the most part.’

Several players were singled out for individual praise, but it was a team effort and everyone contributed something but the performance of James Poole was always something (going into the game) that was going to be looked at closest of all.

His performance, as well as those from Rafferty, Collin and Green, was highlighted.

Hignett added: ‘James Poole did well; he was busy, always looking to get on the ball and turn forward with it, helping to create opportunities.

‘Andy Rafferty did well in goal, making a few good saves and Sam Collins organised things out there and helped us play out from the back.

‘And young Kieran Green did well when he came off the bench late on – he`s a youngster we`ve not seen too much of but he certainly caught the eye tonight.’

In summary though Hignett was, as you can gather, pleased. In finishing he also said: ‘It might not have been the result we were looking for but there was plenty to be encouraged about in terms of the performance.’

Contention in the first team is something that some will now find themselves with having the chance of, be that ones that were there or thereabout before but also some new names to come into Colin Cooper’s thoughts perhaps?