Hartlepool United boss hails battling Scunthorpe United stalemate as 'as good as a win'
Hartlepool United manager Nicky Featherstone hailed Good Friday's battling 0-0 draw with high-flying Scunthorpe United as "as good as a win".
Having been routed 7-0 by Wealdstone in the week, their heaviest defeat since 1994, Pools produced a performance full of the grit, determination and character that was so sorely lacking throughout a nightmarish evening at Grosvenor Vale.
While it's now clear that Pools won't be finishing in the National League play-off places this season - Southend United are seven points clear with a game in hand after edging past Essex rivals Braintree Town - Featherstone's side have at least given themselves the chance to salvage some pride from another turbulent season thanks to a spirited showing in North Lincolnshire.
Perhaps unsurprisingly given that Pools shipped seven against a Stones side who had failed to score in three successive National League games prior to kick-off on Tuesday night, Featherstone set his team up to be difficult to break down at Glanford Park against the promotion-chasing Iron.
Despite their disastrous defensive display in Ruislip, Featherstone dropped attackers Alex Reid, Tyrese Sinclair and Charlie Caton for the trip to Scunthorpe and Pools offered next to nothing in the final third in a lacklustre first half.
While the visitors were resolute defensively, Vadaine Oliver, who was starting his first game since October 25, was asked to plough a lone furrow up front and Featherstone's side never looked like troubling Scunthorpe goalkeeper Louis Jones.
Yet Pools stuck to their task well and the likes of Maxim Kouogun, who was part of the Iron side that won promotion from the National League North last term, returning skipper Tom Parkes and Jay Benn produced superb defensive showings for the visitors.
At the other end, Danny Whitehall forced a couple of sharp saves from goalkeeper Nick Hayes, Pat Jones, who turned down Pools to sign for Scunthorpe last month, looked lively from the flank while substitutes Declan Howe and Connor Smith threatened from the bench.
In the end, Pools could - indeed, probably should - have won the game but Reid diverted a close range effort against the woodwork in the sixth and final minute of added time before Matty Daly flashed over on the follow-up.
Questions will likely be asked about Featherstone's team selection and set-up in the first half but the 37-year-old also deserves credit for inspiring a reaction from his side; based on their determined performance, it seems pretty clear that the Pools boss still commands the respect of his squad.
As so often this season, Pools struggled to get into the game in an attacking sense but their battling showing was at least a significant step towards banishing some of the bad memories from Tuesday night's humiliating seven-goal drubbing.
"It was never going to be a classic," Featherstone told BBC Radio Tees Sport.
"The lads were obviously in a really difficult position. For me, it was about getting to around 70 minutes at 0-0 and then seeing if we could open it up.
"In terms of the result, that's as good as a win for this group today, especially after Tuesday.
"If we'd have come off the back of a decent result on Tuesday and we'd have put in that performance, you'd have maybe questioned it a little bit - but that's exactly what I asked for today, just to stay in the game, show some character and give us some belief that we can turn it around. They stepped up, and we've ended up having a chance at the end where we could have nicked it.
"I asked for character, fight - all the buzzwords to get us over the line, but also all the buzzwords that you expect from a group of professionals.
"We let ourselves down on Tuesday, but today they've responded quite well; like I say, that's as good as a win.
"It was never going to be a classic, but the lads executed a game plan really well - stay in the game for as long as possible, then we'll make changes and see if we can win it on the break."