Dave Challinor praises striker admitting 'They’re the type of goals we’ve been missing' as he looks for his Hartlepool United side to kick-on after banishing awayday demons

Pools secured three points on their travels at the eighth time of asking this season, inspired by Mark Cullen’s double at Valley Parade with Challinor admitting his side had missed those kinds of instincts in the final third.

“It should do everybody the world of good but as a forward, and as a goalscorer, you want to be scoring goals and that gives you those extra percentages you need,” he said.

“They’re the type of goals we’ve been missing, the scruffy ones from inside the six yard box. If we can take those chances the game becomes a whole lot easier for us.

“We’ve not scored an away goal since we went to Barrow, not through the want of trying, we’ve not been ruthless enough in the final third, aside from Salford where we were horrific.

“Hopefully that does him the world of good. Alongside that it will do the rest of the team some good.”

The midweek win sees Pools ninth in the League Two table, level on points with seventh placed Exeter City, which is a testament to their record at Victoria Park.

Should Pools be able to emulate their home form on their travels having shaken that monkey from their backs then Challinor’s side could be in for another memorable season.

On their away form Challinor said: “It’s easier for me to stay comfortable, but from a players perspective there’s always more of a hangover and they probably think about it a little bit more.

“As staff it’s our responsibility to look at performances as well as results. Players will tend to look at results and only look at results.

“So to get that three points, in that environment, against that team, should give them an awful lot of positives. Hopefully we can continue that momentum this weekend.”

But in order for Pools to continue that momentum they must overcome the side currently in second place in League Two in Harrogate Town.

Pools’ record against the Sulphurites makes for grim reading having lost the previous four meetings but Challinor knows just how significant it is to back that away win up by continuing their splendid Victoria Park form, where they have lost just once in the league this calendar year.

“It’s very important,” he said.

"I don’t think we could have got a much more tougher task in the team we’re coming up against.

“They’re a team that’s very similar to us in how they go about things. It’s a toss of a coin game.

“They’ve started the season well, they’re in a position that they’ll be happy with. But we’re within touching distance of them so we’ve started ok ourselves and tomorrow gives us an opportunity to bridge that gap.

“I’d love to say for the next three years we’re not going to lose a home game, but that would be blue sky thinking, the reality of it is we are.

"Maybe then that’s when we’ll be tested in terms of everybody’s resolve. But at the minute we want to ride that wave.

“We’re confident at the Vic and the place is bouncing and long may that continue.”

A message from the Football Clubs Editor

Our aim is to provide you with the best, most up-to-date and most informative Hartlepool United coverage 365 days a year.

This depth of coverage costs, so to help us maintain the high-quality reporting that you are used to, please consider taking out a subscription to our new sports-only package here.

Your support is much appreciated. Richard Mennear, Football Clubs Editor.