Dave Challinor 'proud' of Hartlepool United’s performance in their 2-0 victory over Walsall

Pools took the lead through Tyler Burey midway through the first-half and doubled it just after the break, thanks to Nicky Featherstone’s penalty, - giving them control of the game which they never looked like relinquishing.

Boss Dave Challinor admitted post-match that he was “proud” of the team’s performance, particularly their second-half display.

He said: “I’m really happy, especially with the manner of our second-half performance, that is a team that I am really, really happy and proud to put my name to.

“They did everything that I want my teams to be and that was massively encouraging.

“We have to make sure that’s the level and standard we set and take that into next week.”

Pools host Carlisle United at The Vic on Saturday.

Challinor added: “The second-half was miles better, I thought we were comfortable but [only] in second-gear in the first-half.

“What we did do though [in the second half], is probably because of our intensity in the first-half, we got our rewards in the second half because it became too much for them to keep that up for 90 minutes.

“Spaces did open up and I suppose towards the end of the game when we had got that second goal, we were a real, real threat on the counter-attack.”

After conceding three to Barrow last week, a clean-sheet was a welcome bonus for Challinor who believes that his side defended well as a unit.

“We were better [than last week] but we weren’t perfect by any stretch.

“There were individual moments where we could defend better in some circumstances.

"You’re not going to win every one versus one duel and you are going to rely on somebody pulling you out the mire at some point, that’s what defending is all about, you defend as a unit.

“We were better, absolutely, but we can still improve on what we do.

“We’re not the most vocal team, we haven’t got the ‘old-school’ centre-half who organises, so I suppose everybody needs to take responsibility.

“But I thought as a unit and individually I don’t think we could be worse than we were last week but we were miles better.”

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