Body language is key for Hartlepool United interim manager Keith Curle following Mansfield Town draw

Curle was quick to praise the response of his players, particularly super-sub Josh Umerah, but has also acknowledged the mentality of his squad - with Curle admitting he is keen to stamp out any negativity.

Prior to Curle’s appointment, at 2-0 down, Pools may have crumbled and fallen further behind against a rampant Mansfield side.

Instead, they found a way back into the game and claimed a spirited point to move off the bottom of the table.

“We’ve shown fighting spirit, quality, willingness and a desire to keep going. They're all attributes that we’re going to need,” explained Curle.

“Goals change games and goals change mentalities but I watch body language.

“I’m big on negativity because there’s a saying that negativity courts company and that means if one person’s head goes down, somebody else thinks it’s alright for their head to go down. I don’t like that.”

Curle added: “It might be because of the position I played on the pitch that you see everything when you’re playing at the back.

“I’ve been in games before when you’ve gone down and you see people not giving you that extra yard and it’s frustrating. Today we didn’t shirk our responsibilities. We didn’t hide away from the fact that we went goals behind.

"Mansfield are a good team, they’ve got a home record that says you’re going to get tested, and we didn’t shy away from that test.”