Hartlepool United boss hails "great effort" of 99 Poolies who made long trip to Braintree Town
Hartlepool United manager Nicky Featherstone has hailed the "great effort" of the hardy Pools fans who made the long trip down to Essex to support their side against strugglers Braintree Town on Sunday.
A remarkable 99 Pools fans travelled to Cressing Road as Pools missed out on the chance to climb into the National League play-off places for the first time since September following a goalless draw against a spirited Iron side who are just a point above the relegation zone.
Following a hugely impressive seven-match unbeaten run while Featherstone, who has spent well over a decade at Victoria Park, was in caretaker charge, Pools came into Sunday's game off the back of successive defeats, with last week's humiliating FA Trophy exit at the hands of Northern Premier League Division One Midlands side Anstey Nomads widely considered one of the worst results in the club's history.
Yet even their side's lack of form - not to mention the considerable distances involved so close to Christmas - couldn't put off the almost 100 Poolies who made the trip to Braintree to support their side.
While Pools weren't able to reward their loyalty with a win, there were at least a handful of positives from Sunday's game, not least a third successive away clean sheet as well as a welcome return for attacker Luke Charman, who featured from the bench having been sidelined since October due to bone bruising on his foot.
"It was a great effort as always from the Poolies," Featherstone told the official club website.
"They travel far and wide to come and watch the team, they pay a lot of money. Although we didn't get the win today (Sunday) and there were some sloppy moments in there, I think - I hope - that we've shown that we wanted to win the game.
"It was a great effort from all the fans, and I hope they have a good Christmas."
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