Hartlepool United interim manager Nicky Featherstone "absolutely gutted" after Pools dumped out of FA Cup by Gainsborough Trinity
Hartlepool United interim manager Nicky Featherstone admitted he was "absolutely gutted" after Pools were dumped out of the FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round stage by Northern Premier League Premier Division side Gainsborough Trinity.
Beleaguered Pools were not just beaten but battered by a Gainsborough side who, as impressive as they were, are two divisions and more than 40 places below them. If long-suffering Pools fans hadn't invested so much time, money and emotional energy into supporting their side, the latest humbling developments would almost have a comic edge to them. From naming striker Alex Reid, who has been sidelined since last month with a hamstring injury, among the substitutes only for the frontman to take to social media to post an image of himself watching the game from his living room on YouTube, to the club's tone deaf tweet remarking that Pools were set to take on Accrington Stanley in the first round "subject to tomorrow's replay against Gainsborough", it was a night to forget for Pools. Indeed, so far it's been a campaign to forget, or perhaps to remember for all the wrong reasons. It's hard to fathom that, just a month-and-a-half ago, Pools were riding high having taken 10 points from their first four National League games. Now, much like last season, Pools are out of the FA Cup, on the hunt for a new manager and outside the play-off places following a dismal run of results. If this campaign is indeed still salvageable, then things will have to change sooner rather than later.
Tuesday's visit of a Gainsborough side who have enjoyed an impressive start to the season always felt like it was going to be difficult for Pools. After all, Pools were still reeling from the sudden sacking of manager Simon Grayson on Sunday after just 15 games at the helm. While the hunt for a fifth manager in the space of a year goes on, it fell to Nicky Featherstone, who knows the club like the back of his hand but has limited coaching experience let alone managerial know-how, Elliot Dickman, who only joined the staff last week following the unexpected departure of assistant manager Neil McDonald, and Adam Smith, who was one the bench, to take charge of Pools. If defeat wasn't an absolute shock, then, the manner of it was. The toothless hosts, who made four changes from Saturday's 1-1 draw in Lincolnshire and handed teenage attacker Kian Foreman his first Pools start, lacked spirit, belief and quality on a humiliating night that will surely rank as among the worst in the club's recent history.
For all Pools were poor, Gainsborough deserve immense credit and were excellent value for their coveted spot in the first round proper. The visitors bested Pools in almost every department and raced into a three-goal lead inside the opening 47 minutes thanks to a superb individual effort by the outstanding Sisa Tuntulwana as well as a brilliant brace from Fraser Preston, who curled a sumptuous effort over George Evans before bending a free-kick into the top corner. Pools pulled one back late on through Luke Charman but, in truth, the 3-1 scoreline flattered the hosts, who failed to make the first round proper for just the third time in the club's entire history - and, indeed, for the third year in a row.
"I'm disappointed, massively disappointed," interim boss Featherstone told The Red Radio.
"I'm disappointed in terms of the performance, and obviously going out of the FA Cup. I'm absolutely gutted with how that's gone, I thought we were in a really good place before the game. The lads seemed up for it and they responded really well to me yesterday (Monday). I'm really disappointed, but all we can do is go again on Thursday, work hard and try and get a result on Saturday (against Sutton).
"It wasn't ideal preparation. There's a reason why we've had a change of manager, we've not won in a long time now. It's not going to change overnight, but all you can do in these situations is get back on the training ground and work hard to try and turn it around.
"I'm here to help the football club in whatever role they ask me to be in. I've been here for a long time, I love the club so, for me, it's just about helping the club.
"They're a fragile group at the minute, results show that. We're not dealing with setbacks very well. I thought we started the game really positively, the one positive tonight was Kian Foreman, I thought for 55, 60 minutes he was excellent; I'm really pleased for him, to make his first start. I don't think we were good enough in both boxes, I don't think we worked their keeper enough. I think we got in a load of decent areas but we didn't really get into that position where we get a shot or a cross off. Fair play to Gainsborough, I thought defensively they put their bodies on the line and made it really difficult for us."