Hartlepool boss frustrated by defeat at Notts County

Pools went down 1-0 with Jon Stead netting the only goal 10 minutes into the second half at Meadow Lane.

Lewis Hawkins was unlucky not to level when keeper Scott Loach pulled off a flying save and Rob Jones saw a shot cleared off the line by Liam Noble.

But for all Pools huffed and puffed they could not find an equaliser.

“I am pleased with the lads and how we played, we produced some really good stuff,” said Hignett.

“I said to the lads before the game that patience was the key and not to force things. But I think we tried to force it a little too much.

“There was nothing in the game and I thought we were probably the better side but one lapse in concentration cost us. The lads are frustrated, I am frustrated, but we tried too many long and straight balls.

“That’s not us really, we are a footballing side. If it takes an extra pass, it takes an extra pass.

“We got in a few times in the first half but we couldn’t find that final ball.

“It was a bit like the Carlisle game for the amount of play we had.

“We kept the ball well and made enough chances to have got something out of the game, the disappointing thing for me was that we didn’t score.

“I think if we had got the first goal we’d have gone on to win, but we couldn’t find it.”

But, for all the thoughts of ‘what might have been’, the manager had not grumbles about result.

Stead came back to haunt Pools, having scored the winner when the sides met in February at Victoria Park.

“It was a poor piece of defending, we switched off and Stead couldn’t really miss,” said Hignett.

“I thought it was a good match, I enjoyed it, we carved them open a few times but missed that last little bit.

“It’s not like losing, I don’t like losing, but there is a right way and a wrong way to lose, but here I think we lost the right way.”