Former Chelsea and Norwich City goalkeeper Ben Killip talks clean sheets, his spell out of the team and return for Hartlepool United

After missing the opening seven matches of 2020, the England C international returned to the starting line-up to keep back-to-back clean sheets against Aldershot Town and Notts. Killip understood Dave Challinor’s decision to drop him from the side and believes it’s helped him come back stronger than before.

“It’s definitely [helped], you obviously re-align your thoughts and think where you're gone wrong,” said the 24-year-old.

“You’ve got a lot of time to think where you need to be better and focusing on yourself instead of focusing on other people and trying to control too much.

“At the moment, it’s showing that it’s done a world of good because it’s two clean sheets in a row.”

The goalkeeper’s return to the side has coincided with Hartlepool’s first consecutive victories under Challinor as the side looks to push up the table.

“We’re a point off the play-offs” Killip told Pools TV.

“We’ve got Boreham Wood and Solihull away who are up and around us so it’s a big couple of games. If we can pick some points up on the road, we’ll be looking up.

“You can’t not have belief when you’re playing like we are, especially at home since the gaffer has come in, it’s been unbelievable and the home form is massive. The fans are helping us a lot get over the line and it’s been very good recently.”