Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor discusses two penalty decisions and opening goal following 1-1 draw at Boreham Wood

Kabongo Tshimanga’s goal in the opening minute was met by some strong offside appeals from the Pools players.

“I didn’t think Matt Rhead was offside, I’m guessing but maybe their lad was who turned it in, I haven’t a clue,” Challinor admitted.

“The disappointing thing isn’t the goal or whether it was offside or not, it was the build-up where we just caused our own problems.

“Especially early on, you can’t give the momentum to the home team. We were fortunate to still be in the game after the first 20-minutes because we started very poorly.”

Gime Toure levelled things up for Pools before they conceded a penalty as Nicky Featherstone was penalised for handball.

“I think their penalty, you’re probably more justified to give handball against Timi [Odusina] when he tried to head it out than against Nicky,” Challinor added.

“If a player smashing a ball off another one of your players from five yards is deliberate handball then something’s gone strangely wrong in the game.

“Did it hit his arm? Yes it did, was it deliberate? I wouldn’t have thought so.”

United then had a penalty shout themselves as Macauley Southam-Hales was shoved over inside the area but referee Joe Hull was quick to turn it down, much to Challinor’s frustration.

“That type of thing was happening all over the pitch all afternoon and he gave every one,” he continued.

“People will say your decision making shouldn’t be affected by whether it’s in the penalty area or not but it is, we all know it is. It’s disappointing, I was speaking to Luke [Garrard] and he thought it was a penalty but we haven’t got it so we move on.

“I’m not going to say we deserved to win by any stretch but we could have won, certainly. We can feel aggrieved we didn’t get a decision but it’s a good point against a team in a very good position who haven’t lost here since October.”