Hartlepool United 1-1 Leyton Orient: Key impact, fine margins and Jeff Stelling's Pools hope - key takeaways in latest draw

John Askey’s side have become draw specialists in League Two of late with five straight stalemates following Saturday’s 1-1 draw with Leyton Orient.

It’s a result which left Hartlepool four points from safety in the table with Crawley Town to play their final game in hand in midweek.

When Askey’s side next take to the field against Swindon Town it will be the beginning of an eight game dash to the finish line with everybody around them having played the same number of games.

And Askey will be looking for more of the same from his side as against the League Two leaders as they more than deserved their point at the Suit Direct Stadium thanks to Connor Jennings’ late equaliser to cancel out Paul Smyth’s opener.

And here are some of the key takeaways from the draw with Leyton Orient.

An unchanged Hartlepool United

For the first time under Askey, Pools were unchanged following their 2-2 draw with Bradford City.

It’s something the club has been unable to do very often this season under any of their three managers due to injuries and the lack of form in the side.

But after what was an encouraging performance at Valley Parade, coupled with the news Edon Pruti had remained in the North East despite an international call-up for Albania under-21s, Askey kept faith in his starting XI, with the only changes coming on the bench in Patrick Boyes and Wes McDonald - more on him later.

And it was a decision which was justified.

Askey has been keen to highlight the importance of getting key players back fit and involved to be able to select his preferred line-up and we are starting to see that with Pools putting in consecutive, encouraging, displays over recent weeks.

And that continuity could be key over the final few weeks of the season.

Did Hartlepool United show Leyton Orient too much respect?

While Hartlepool certainly competed in the first half, there was a nervous edge to proceedings, particularly as Leyton Orient began to source one or two openings through Smyth.

Where against Northampton Town and Bradford we have seen Hartlepool really go for it in terms of creating chances, there was an element of tentativeness in the opening 45 minutes - perhaps owing to who they were facing.

Orient had lost just five times in the league upon arriving at the Suit Direct Stadium, were eight unbeaten and had kept 20 clean sheets.

It was a tough examination of where Hartlepool are at and that may be why we saw just a slight reservation initially.

However, when making that suggestion to Askey, the Hartlepool boss told The Mail: “No I don’t think that.

“If you look at the stats in the first half, considering we were playing against the wind as well, the stats were even and that’s against the team who are top.

“You show respect for every team you come up against but there’s nobody in this league who you’re going to sit back against and that’s been the message since I came in; whoever we play, if we go and close down and work hard then we’ve got a great chance of getting a result.”

John Askey’s tactical change and Wes McDonald’s impact

Pools were very much in the contest at half-time but things appeared to be slipping away from them after the restart as the O’s went in front through Smyth’s goal.

It would lead to a 15 minute spell in which Hartlepool found themselves a little on the ropes with Richie Wellens' side pressing for what may have been a significant second had it arrived.

Alert to the way the pendulum was swinging in the game, however, Askey turned to his bench just after the hour mark and brought on McDonald for his first appearance since the 2-1 defeat to Colchester United in January.

And in doing so, Askey also tweaked his system.

With Pruti going off, Askey reverted to a back four with McDonald operating as a wide forward on the left.

McDonald’s impact was instant as he tested Lawrence Vigouroux within a minute of being introduced - the O’s goalkeeper fumbling an effort which led to a Hartlepool corner.

From that corner, McDonald was able to recycle possession and see another effort at goal loop onto the roof of the net.

It was a key moment in the game as, up until that point in the second half, Leyton Orient were dictating things.

McDonald’s impact suddenly shifted momentum in Hartlepool’s favour and got the crowd more involved and would lead to Wellens being forced into making a change of his own when taking off defender Jordan Brown.

“You can see the threat,” explained Wellens.

“They brought McDonald on and the two or three occasions where Jordan stayed on at one-v-one he went past him and cut inside. I don’t mind people beating you on the outside but you can’t be cutting in and having shots.”

Despite the fact they would finish with a centre-back pairing of Dan Dodds and Matt Dolan, owing to Euan Murray’s injury, the change worked as it allowed Hartlepool to force Orient back and sustain their attacks more frequently in the final 30 minutes of the game - something which, ultimately, told when Jennings scored.

The fine margins

McDonald almost completed an excellent cameo when striking the foot of the post two minutes from time after again getting some joy on the left.

McDonald’s effort bounced clear of a crowded penalty area before moments later Hartlepool would hit the woodwork again through Dan Kemp from Jamie Sterry’s pick out.

Askey’s side continued pressing and fashioned another opportunity when a cross from the left looked destined to reach Dolan for what would have been a simple finish from six-yards only for Josh Umerah to take the ball off his toes as Pools had to settle for a point.

Those are the kind of fine margins which are just not quite falling for Hartlepool at the moment - something which can be extended beyond this game with the penalty decision awarded to Tranmere Rovers and Northampton’s corner routine in previous games.

“Kempy’s chance, I think nine times out of 10 he puts it away and even the one at the end I think Josh got in the way of Matt Dolan coming in on the ball,” Askey told The Mail.

“When you're down there and you’re creating as many chances as we’re creating then you’re doing something right and we can’t do any more.”

Still hope for Hartlepool United?

The consensus is quite overwhelming in that most can appreciate the uplift in performances from Hartlepool in recent weeks.

But although it has yet to yield a win, the mentality has to remain that it soon will, with club president Jeff Stelling quick to share his thoughts on Hartlepool’s situation after the draw.

“The message is don’t give up hope. We are playing so well. We can win three or four in a row,” Stelling wrote.

Askey’s side have demonstrated they have the potential to win a number of their final eight games but we are now at the stage where they simply must go out and do so if they are to remain in the Football League.