Hartlepool United interim manager Nicky Featherstone pleased with second half response in Sutton draw

While the visitors were denied what would have been a much-needed three points by former Pools defender Edon Pruti's 95th minute equaliser, there were at least positives to take from an improved performance in South London. Having been so poor during Tuesday night's humbling FA Cup defeat at the hands of Northern Premier League Premier Division side Gainsborough Trinity, Pools needed a reaction at Gander Green Lane. While their first half performance left a lot to be desired, Pools were far more competitive after the break following a number of tactical changes. Pleasingly, having been criticised as a "fragile group" by Featherstone in the week, Pools managed to summon up some of the fight and determination that has been sorely lacking of late to come from behind twice and go within a couple of minutes of winning the game in remarkable fashion.

Although a point against a Sutton side who have only won one league game all season won't have done much to assuage some of the pressure building on Pools, who are now without a win in six games in all competitions, Featherstone will be hoping his side can build on some of the positives from their second half showing as they look to arrest their recent slump. Certainly, the next few weeks have the potential to be pivotal for all sorts of reasons. Despite all the doom and gloom surrounding Pools of late, Featherstone's side are just six points outside the play-off places ahead of what looks, on paper at least, to be a winnable run of games. Pools host a Solihull Moors side who have had a torrid season so far but who have shown signs of improvement under new manager Chris Millington on Saturday before welcoming Morecambe, who are rooted to the bottom of the National League table, the following weekend. If - and, given Pools have won just one of their last 13 matches, it's a big if - they can take four or even six points from the next two games, then Featherstone's side could propel themselves right back into play-off contention. Of course, if Pools were to continue their miserable recent run against two teams their fans will be expecting them to beat, then the ongoing issues at Victoria Park could soon approach a crisis point.

For Featherstone, too, the next few weeks look set to be significant. Despite still being a member of the playing squad, the 37-year-old, who is the club's third highest appearance maker of all time, is among the favourites to be given the Pools manager's job on a permanent basis. Having previously distanced himself from the role, Featherstone appears to have stepped up to the plate since the sudden sacking of Simon Grayson after just 15 matches and is believed to be one of a number of names under consideration by the Pools hierarchy. A couple of good results could move him into pole position, while a continuation of his side's recent winless run has the potential to dash any hopes he might have of getting the job this time around.

"There are loads and loads of positives to take from today," Featherstone told The Red Radio.

"I think we struggled to nullify them, the distances in the first half were massive. We made a change at half time to match them with a box and play the strikers slightly wider and I thought we nullified them and I thought we were a real threat off the back of that as well. The two 10s worked well, Jermaine (Francis) was brilliant in the second half. It was a great reaction in the second half after what was a tough half time team talk for me personally, I had to raise my voice a little bit, I had to change the tactics slightly, and I got the reaction I wanted."

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