Hartlepool United manager Darren Sarll hails "exceptional" Billy Sass-Davies after defender impresses on first start for Pools

The 24-year-old replaced suspended skipper Luke Waterfall in the heart of the defence for the trip to Staffordshire and helped Pools keep a third successive clean sheet.

It was a baptism of fire for Sass-Davies, who was making his first start for Pools and had to deal with a barrage of balls into the box as well as the combative approach of Lambs forward Dan Creaney.

However, he passed his first real test since signing for Pools with flying colours, growing into the game and dominating the home side's front line in the second half.

Blessed with impressive size and broad shoulders, the former Wales under-21 international spent last season on loan at Boreham Wood, who were relegated from the National League.

Sarll knows the defender well, having worked with him at both Yeovil and Woking, but suggested he wanted to see more from him while he was on trial in the summer.

Sass-Davies was released by Crewe after an eight year association with the Railwaymen and is now looking to re-establish his reputation as one of the National League's most exciting defenders.

He has made a promising start, helping Pools see out their first two matches from the bench before announcing himself with an impressive display in Staffordshire.

And manager Darren Sarll was delighted with how seamlessly Sass-Davies slotted into the back line despite facing an aerial barrage from one of the division's most direct sides.

"Especially in the second half, I thought he was excellent," he said.

"Carl (Dickinson) and I talk about it a lot at half time, we're 45 minutes the wiser.

"The one thing we struggled with was preparing for tonight because there's not a huge backlog of National League or EFL evidence behind Tamworth and their squad.

"It was a tough one. We knew we'd have to learn on the job and in play.

"I thought Billy played ok in the first half, but I thought in the second half he was exceptional.

"That is the Billy Sass-Davies that I've tried to sign three or four times.

"He needs to grow now and get his body ready.

"All four centre-halves need to be prepared for us to go Saturday, Monday now - they're all big units.

"They fatigue so much quicker than a Joe Grey or an Adam Campbell because they're that much bigger.

"We're going to have to make sure we use them intelligently over the weekend."