Hartlepool United defender Jay Benn insists Pools can take plenty of positives from Forest Green Rovers defeat

Benn was back in the Pools side for the first time since August 19 after recovering from a hamstring injury but was unable to prevent them falling to a narrow defeat against a Rovers side who have won six and drawn two of their first eight games under new boss Robbie Savage.

While there is still plenty of optimism surrounding Pools, a difficult week for Grayson's side has led some fans to call for more attacking additions. While Pools have been rock solid at the back, keeping an impressive five clean sheets in the opening eight matches, goals have proven difficult to come by. Pools have drawn a blank in three of their first eight games, scoring just nine times. Compared to most of their promotion rivals, that doesn't make for good reading; league leaders Forest Green have found the net 15 times, as have Mani Dieseruvwe's Rochdale, while free-scoring Carlisle have already scored 17 goals. Indeed, Pools are the second lowest scorers in the top half of the National League, with only Tamworth, who have played a game less, having managed fewer goals at this stage.

It is perhaps inevitable that the subject of goalscorers would be on the lips of many Pools fans in the opening weeks of the new campaign after the prolific Mani Dieseruvwe left to sign for well-fancied Rochdale over the summer. The talismanic frontman scored 43 goals in 89 games during a hugely successful spell at Victoria Park but swapped the North East for Greater Manchester after failing to agree a new contract with the club. Certainly, Pools have been proactive in their search for a replacement, signing Alex Reid, who managed an impressive 17 goals in 32 games for a struggling Wealdstone side last summer, as well as Danny Johnson. While Reid has made a reasonable start and is the club's leading scorer with three goals in his first eight appearances, Johnson has still to open his account despite a promising pre-season and lost his place in the side last week. With former Newcastle man Josh Donaldson, who signed for Pools at the end of July following a successful trial before immediately being shipped out on loan to Northern Premier League Division One East side Dunston UTS, bagging a hat-trick at the weekend, there have been some suggestions that the young striker could be set to be recalled.

Whatever the case, it's clear that Pools will need to find a way to score more goals if they're to be successful this season. Other than Alex Reid, no Pools player has scored more than once this term and Simon Grayson suggested his side could be in the market for reinforcements this week. Pools, who have failed to win any of their last four matches and have scored just twice in that time, risk losing ground on their rivals if they can't get their front line firing - and fast. Although Pools huffed and puffed at The New Lawn on Saturday, Hull loanee Harvey Cartwright was the busier of the two goalkeepers and had to make several saves to keep the visitors in the contest in the first half. Pools spurned chances to get back into the game after the break, not least when substitute Danny Johnson wasted an opportunity having been played through on goal late on. On Saturday's evidence, Pools need more creativity and clinicality in their ranks.

"It was a weird one," Benn told the official Pools club website.

"Both teams had chances and I think, on another day, we could have won the game. I think we played really well and we can take a lot from it. Not getting three points hurts, but to be this deep into the season and for that to be our first defeat, we'd have taken that at the start of the season.

"They're a good team, they know what they're about, but I think the fact that they changed their shape in the second half shows that we've done our jobs. The gaffer's set us up and we've stuck to the game plan, I think we've nullified them and created our own chances. It could have gone either way.

"I'm loving it, it's great to be back. It's a big trip to come down and it's nice to get back out on the pitch and into a game day routine. I felt good (Danny O'Connor, Pools physio) has done some good work with me, I felt strong. I got 60 minutes and hopefully I can keep building on it."

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