Hartlepool United interim manager Nicky Featherstone reflects on "a tough couple of days" ahead of Sutton trip

It's been another remarkable week at Pools, who are on the hunt for their fifth permanent manager in the space of a year and the 14th of chairman and owner Raj Singh's tumultuous tenure, which began when he bought the club in April 2018. Pools made the sudden decision to sack manager Simon Grayson on Sunday following a run of one win in 11 matches, with the former Blackpool, Leeds and Sunderland boss fired after just 15 games at the helm. Pools turned to the veteran Featherstone, who is the club's third highest appearance maker of all time, to take interim charge ahead of Tuesday night's FA Cup replay against Northern Premier League Premier Division side Gainsborough Trinity. Yet rather than a reaction, Pools produced one of their worst performances in recent memory as they were dumped out of the FA Cup at the fourth qualifying round stage for the third year in succession after being beaten 3-1 - in truth, the scoreline flattered Pools following Luke Charman's late consolation - by a Trinity side who were better in every department. Featherstone looked crestfallen when he spoke to the press after the game, admitting he was "absolutely gutted" by his side's performance, and said he felt Pools were a "fragile group".

Now, managerless Pools will have to pick themselves up as they prepare to return to National League action with a long trip to Sutton on Saturday. With Pools still just four points outside the play-off places ahead of what, on paper at least, looks to be a winnable run of games, there is still hope that something positive can be salvaged from this season. However, with Pools low on confidence and bang out of form, while frustration among the fanbase is once again beginning to boil over, there is real pressure on Featherstone and his side to turn things around sooner rather than later.

For their part, Sutton have themselves endured a miserable start to the season that sees them languishing third from bottom in the National League table having won just one of their opening 14 matches. The Us sacked manager Steve Morison and appointed Worthing boss Chris Agutter earlier this month, with the new man overseeing a goalless draw with fellow strugglers Braintree before the South Londoners edged past Southern League Premier Division South side Farnham in the FA Cup, winning Tuesday night's replay in extra time thanks to Will Tizzard's 120th minute strike.

With both sides in dire need of a positive result, Featherstone is hoping for a reaction from Pools as they look to end a run of five matches without a win.

"It's been a tough couple of days," he told The Red Radio.

"We're a little bit hurt and a little bit embarrassed, we've reflected on a few things. Ultimately, we just need to get back to working, working hard on things we intend to implement against Sutton on Saturday. It's been really productive so far.

"Like myself, the players have been hurt and embarrassed, losing at home to a team two leagues below us is not ideal. These things happen in football, the most important thing from my point of view is how we react on Saturday. I pulled the group together this morning and said, 'look, there's nothing we can do about Tuesday and the result that's just happened'. For us, it's full concentration on Sutton and, hopefully, bouncing back with a reaction.

"In terms of a manager, I'm very inexperienced, but in terms of being in this position before at the football club, I'm very, very experienced. It's nothing I haven't seen before since being at Hartlepool, I think the last 11 years, however long I've been here, I can fall back on that experience.

"I get the fans, I feel how they're feeling, I understand them. It's massively important for me now that we bounce back and train with a real intensity and a real desire to get back on track."

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