Hartlepool United assistant manager Michael Nelson had this interesting take after Burton Albion loan midfielder ended unusual 12 game streak

Morris opened the scoring against Rochdale early in the first half to signal the end of a 12 game run in the league where Pools have failed to score the first goal.

Not since Peter Clarke’s own goal in first half stoppage time against Tranmere Rovers have Pools scored the opening goal in League Two before Morris confidently dispatched Joe White’s cross with a fine volley.

Since that victory over Tranmere on February 15, Pools have conceded the first goal 11 times, with the other game a goalless draw against Leyton Orient.

In that time, Pools have managed to come back and claim 12 points from losing positions but the roles were reversed at the Crown Oil Arena as Rochdale snatched a stoppage time victory through Eoghan O’Connell’s strike.

And assistant manager Michael Nelson, who stood in for Graeme Lee after he tested positive for COVID-19, suggested the unfamiliar position of being in front might have worked against them.

“Maybe in the second half it was an unfamiliar position for the lads to be in so maybe that gave them a different outlook and gave them more nerves, I’m not sure,” Nelson told The Mail.

“It’s something that we want to do. We want to go and take games by the scruff of the neck and take the lead then go and build on it.

“We felt that’s what we should have done in the second half after that first half performance but unfortunately we didn’t.”