Hartlepool United boss Kevin Phillips pleased with a clean sheet as Pools keep in-form Southend out

Phillips was able to welcome back Luke Waterfall, who missed the defeat to Barnet last time out, and Tom Parkes, who was forced off in the first half of the game against the Bees, as Pools kept a first clean sheet at home in the league since January 2023.

It was an impressive defensive display from Pools, with Parkes and Waterfall typically commanding at the heart of the defence while Alex Lacey and David Ferguson enjoyed solid shifts in the full-back positions.

By and large, Pools have struggled at the back this season and have the joint-fifth leakiest defense in the National League.

However there has been a marked improvement since Phillips took charge, which more or less coincided with the arrivals of Parkes and Waterfall, although the Pools boss had been waiting for his first clean sheet.

The shutout arrived on Saturday as Pools kept a Southend side that included 15-goal frontman Harry Cardwell and creator-in-chief Jack Bridge, who is leading the National League's assist charts, very quiet indeed.

The hosts had to contend with some Southend pressure in the final 20 minutes and goalkeeper Pete Jameson was forced into one real save of note but Pools held firm to secure a third league clean sheet of the campaign following shutouts on the road at Dagenham and Ebbsfleet.

And Phillips was pleased with a clean sheet and satisfied in the main with a point against a Shrimpers side who would be in the play-off places had it not been for a 10-point deduction.

"I've got mixed feelings," he said.

"Of course, you want to win your home games, coming off the back of two defeats and being here in front of a very good crowd. I wanted to win.

"We were desperate for a clean sheet. That's our third clean sheet in the league this season, it hasn't been good enough.

"For me, it was very satisfying. It was great to have Luke and Tom back in the heart of the defense, I thought they looked very solid.

"My biggest gripe is that we just didn't do enough in the final third with our offensive players.

"If you want to win football matches, you've got to score goals."