Graeme Lee challenges Hartlepool United players after disappointing home double ahead of Newport County clash

Graeme Lee’s side have let back-to-back home fixtures slip between their fingers with Pools taking just one point from a possible six against Leyton Orient and Bradford City.

And they are results which are particularly disappointing for Lee who had targeted maximum points from a double-header at the Suit Direct Stadium to help boost Pools’ end of season play-off credentials.

Instead, following Tuesday’s 2-0 reverse to the Bantams, Pools now find themselves 12 points adrift of seventh placed Bristol Rovers, albeit with a game in hand, with any harboured hopes of a late run towards the play-offs now more than likely to be extinguished.

And what makes things doubly frustrating for Lee is these two results have come against teams Pools would have fancied their chances against with both Leyton Orient and Bradford towards the foot of the League Two form table when arriving at the Suit Direct Stadium.

But despite a disappointing return on home soil, Lee remains upbeat ahead of the trip to South Wales.

“I don’t like losing. None of us like losing,” Lee told The Mail.

“I’ve said before that I want to win games. It’s been a positive February, which is fine, but I want to keep picking points up. I want this season to keep going.

“I saw this as an opportunity to have a free hit and see where we end up. There’s no reason why we still can’t go and do that.

“We haven’t got the points we wanted from these last two games so let's go and see what we’ve got Friday.”

And Lee will be looking for an improvement from his side after admitting he did not like what he saw from his players after Yann Songoo doubled Bradford’s lead on Tuesday night.

“I didn’t like the next 10 minutes. I felt we went a little bit flat. And I said to the lads, I don’t care what the result is, we keep working and we keep pushing and we keep pressing until the 95th minute even if we’re 3-0 or 4-0 down, I don't care.

“Work and give everything you’ve got for the team.”

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