Gillingham manager Neil Harris shares his views on Hartlepool United and avoiding 'new manager bounce' in goalless draw

Pools made the decision to part ways with Paul Hartley following last week’s 2-0 defeat at Sutton United, with Keith Curle installed as interim manager for the visit of a Gillingham side who have so far struggled to adapt to life in League Two following their relegation last season.

But Curle was forced to settle for a point in his first game in charge as Pools were unable to make a breakthrough against a plucky Gills side as they remain winless in 10 league games this season, with results elsewhere also dropping Pools to the foot of the table.

“The day was made a lot harder for us with a new manager coming in,” Harris told the Kent Messenger following the 0-0 draw.

“I had seen some games earlier on in the season of Hartlepool and they struggled but this time they were a completely different outfit. It was always going to make it a lot more difficult.

“First half I thought we handled it really well, the only threat they looked like having was when we turned the ball over cheaply, other than that we got into some great areas and played some good football at times. Ultimately we should have been infront at half-time.

“Second half was a lot more even, the wind got up a bit and we struggled to get out, without giving bundles away, but when you are not on the front-foot in the second half, and when the opponent does rally, you need to make sure you don’t concede.

"I expected my keeper to make a couple of saves and my centre-halves to throw themselves in front of the ball. When I look back at the stats, and watch the game back, we were getting into better areas than Hartlepool did but they looked more threatening with the end product than we did at times.”

One of those moments with end product came in first half stoppage time when winger Wes McDonald coasted into the penalty area and looked to have picked out the top corner, having beaten goalkeeper Glenn Morris, only for defender Ryan Law to head clear on the line.

Mikael Ndjoli and Mohamad Sylla also went close in the second half with Harris conceding it was important for his Gillingham side not to lose the game, as well as highlighting the significance of keeping Pools below them in the table as a result of the goalless draw.

“It was important not to lose the game,” Harris continued to the Kent Messenger.

"It was a game that, I stand by, was made more difficult with Keith Curle coming in as manager because of the new manager bounce. Sometimes you have to take a point and move on.

“You want to keep a team below you, behind you. It was important to get a point, a clean sheet, [but we’re] disappointed to a certain degree that we didn’t take all three.”