Hartlepool United head coach Anthony Limbrick vows to support Louis Stephenson after teenager's glaring miss in Maidenhead draw

Stephenson, who returned from his loan at Northern Premier League side Whitby Town earlier this month and was making his first Pools appearance since September, looked crestfallen at full-time after he produced one of the misses of the season in the last minute of nine added.

The 19-year-old, who is yet to score a league goal for Pools, would have been a popular match-winner. Having been largely out in the cold under Darren Sarll, who seemed to lose faith in him following a difficult afternoon against Wealdstone in August, and Lennie Lawrence, Stephenson's return as a second half substitute was met by a roar from the home fans.

Likeable, local and full of energy and determination, Stephenson looked set for something of a breakthrough season after impressing at the back end of last term. However, it's been a generally difficult campaign for the youngster, who has been sent out on loan to Blyth Spartans, where he struggled, and Whitby, where he made a bright start but found himself on the fringes of the side. A goal on Saturday would have gone a long way to putting a challenging few months behind him.

Having replaced Luke Charman with 15 minutes remaining, Stephenson was given license to get forward as Pools looked to fashion a winning goal that would have kept them in touch with the National League play-off places. Sam Folarin, Mani Dieseruvwe and Reyes Cleary all had chances but it was Stephenson who produced by far the most glaring miss, fluffing his lines from no more than three or four yards out and allowing Maidenhead defender Kevin Lokko to clear.

It would have been a difficult moment for any player, but it was perhaps especially tough on Stephenson, who wears his heart on his sleeve and is still only a teenager. The attack-minded full-back, who has already enjoyed some memorable afternoons at the Prestige Group Stadium, will likely be enduring one of the lowest moments of his fledgling career.

Limbrick, who has considerable experience of dealing with young players having worked in the academies of Southampton, West Ham and Peterborough, has vowed to support Stephenson and has backed the defender to come back stronger following a difficult day.

"I haven't seen him yet if I'm honest," he said.

"I really feel for him. To even get himself in that position was great, he's following in the cross from right-back and he's managed to get himself in the box. I think he scores that nine times out of 10, it happens with players, resilience is one of the biggest things that young players have to show now. I've got a lot of experience with that having worked in academies.

"We want to play the young players, that was the reason we brought him back. He came on and made an impact, he got up and down the line well. The fans love him, you could tell that when he came on.

"We'll all get round him and help him. It's part of being a player and I'm confident he'll learn from it and bounce back."