Dave Challinor rues ‘missed opportunity’ for Hartlepool United at Halifax Town

Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor was left thinking what could have been following his side’s 1-1 draw at Halifax Town on Tuesday night.
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Mark Shelton put Pools in front early on at The Shay but the visitors failed to extend their lead before Kieran Green headed The Shaymen level 13-minutes from time.

It was another away game Hartlepool failed to win but one they felt they easily could have had they put their chances away.

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And a lack of a consistent end product is once again taking its toll.

Hartlepool manager, Dave Challinor during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Torquay United at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 31st October 2020. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)Hartlepool manager, Dave Challinor during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Torquay United at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 31st October 2020. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)
Hartlepool manager, Dave Challinor during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Torquay United at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 31st October 2020. (Credit: Mark Fletcher | MI News)
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“Once we’d beaten their press, we had good opportunities but our quality and our ruthlessness let us down,” Challinor admitted.

“Luke [Armstrong] had a couple of chances, Mason [Bloomfield] had one, Crawfs [Tom Crawford] at the end too and if I’m being really critical we haven’t done enough.

"You’re going to be judged in both penalty areas and unfortunately we let ourselves down in both tonight and it hasn’t resulted in the points we perhaps merited.”

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After Halifax drew level, Pools were given a big opportunity to go on and win the game as Danny Williams was shown a straight red card for a last man challenge on Armstrong on the edge of the penalty area.

On Halifax’s equaliser, Challinor added: "It was a bog standard ball into the box that we have to head clear so regardless of whether it was a free-kick or not I’ll point the finger at our lot because we need to be better than that.

“From our angle we thought penalty all day but I know Danny Williams from Fylde and I asked him where he made the challenge and he said it was outside as did the referee which means it has to be a red card.

“Overall, it’s a decent point on the road but we look at this game as a missed opportunity because had we won then we could have gone to Torquay on Saturday and gone above them with a win.

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"That’s not the case and we haven’t done enough which adds further frustration because we’ve produced another performance with a lot of positives but find ourselves having to settle for a point once again.”

After the game, Challinor expressed his anger with the Pools players, admitting it’s the angriest he’s been following a match since Pools’ 3-0 defeat at Woking back in December.

“[My anger] always translates into the dressing room afterwards,” admitted the Pools boss.

“I want to win so you become quite emotional when you don’t especially with your initial reaction after the game.

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"It’s something I’m getting better at but I’m not the best at it and sometimes you need to bite your tongue and reflect and say nothing.

"I’m desperate to do well here and I know the players are and there were things I saw that we had been showing signs of getting better at and then all of a sudden we’ve gone backward a few steps.

"If I have to apologise to a few of the players after that then I’m big enough to do that. I want the players to do well and I genuinely believe that they’ve got a really good opportunity this season and I want to make sure they don’t pass that up.”

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