Hartlepool United interim manager Nicky Featherstone expecting "tough, competitive" game when Pools host Solihull Moors

Pools are looking to end a miserable run of six matches without a win when they entertain a Solihull side who endured a torrid start to the new season under Matt Taylor, who was sacked in September, but have shown signs of significant improvement under new boss Chris Millington.

Having lost popular former boss Andy Whing, who led the Moors to the National League play-off final in the 2023/24 campaign, to League Two Barrow in January, the West Midlanders turned to Wealdstone manager Taylor as his replacement. The Moors endured a disappointing end to last season but there had been renewed hopes ahead of the new campaign following what looked like a positive summer in terms of recruitment, with Solihull welcoming the likes of Dan Creaney, who scored 19 goals in 45 games for Tamworth last term, and Boston defender Brad Nicholson to Damson Park. However, Solihull's struggles continued when the new campaign got underway and Taylor was sacked following a winless start to the season that left the Moors languishing in the relegation zone. After a spell under interim manager James Quinn, Solihull confirmed the appointment of former Halifax boss Millington, who led the Shaymen to back-to-back National League play-off campaigns as well as FA Trophy glory in 2023, at the beginning of October.

Since then, Moors have shown signs they're heading in the right direction under Millington, who is renowned for ensuring his sides are difficult to break down, competitive and hard-working. Having drawn with Eastleigh in his first game in charge, Solihull were knocked out of the FA Cup by National League South side Ebbsfleet but have bounced back with successive wins, with last weekend's 2-0 victory over fellow strugglers Braintree moving them up to 17th in the table.

For their part, Pools are in the midst of a run of just one win in their last 13 matches that's seen them lose ground in the race for the play-offs. Having made such a strong start to the new campaign, amassing 10 points from the first 12 available and keeping four successive clean sheets, a marked downturn in form cost manager Simon Grayson his job after just four months at the helm. Since then, Pools have been under the stewardship of interim boss Featherstone, who oversaw a humbling 3-1 defeat to Northern Premier League Premier Division side Gainsborough Trinity in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round followed by an improved performance in Saturday's 3-3 draw with Sutton. While there might have been positives to take from last weekend's long trip to South London, frustration among the fanbase is already at boiling point and Pools can ill-afford many more bad results if they're to retain any hope whatsoever of salvaging their season.

Indeed, the next couple of weeks have the potential to be significant for all sorts of reasons. With Pools preparing for back-to-back home games against Solihull and Morecambe, who are second from bottom and have by some distance the division's worst defensive record, Featherstone's side will feel they have the chance to regain some momentum and propel themselves back towards the top seven. On the other side of the coin, a continuation of their recent winless run risks leaving Pools looking over their shoulders towards the relegation zone, while fans are beginning to talk up the possibility of protests against the club's controversial owner Raj Singh. Hanging over all this, of course, is the hunt for a new manager, with Featherstone, who is understood to be among the leading candidates to replace Grayson on a permanent basis, perhaps hoping to put himself in pole position by masterminding a much-needed return to form.

"Every game is tough at this level, whether you're playing bottom of the league or top of the league," the interim Pools boss told The Red Radio.

"You see right throughout the league, there are shock results every weekend - not so much from my point of view, because over the last however many years I've been at this level, teams beat teams that aren't expected to win all the time.

"I'm expecting a tough game from them (Solihull). I know Chris Millington's sides are usually tough, competitive teams. He gets them well-organised and well-drilled, so it will be a tough game.

"For me, the concentration has to be on us, the focus has to be on us. We're looking forward to it, it will be a tough game but I'm really looking forward to seeing what type of performance our lads can put on."

Your next Hartlepool United read: Pools considering three contenders for vacant manager's job