Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor explains Mason Bloomfield's absence from matchday squad at King's Lynn Town

The striker may not have started a National League match for Pools in over three months but he has been included in almost every matchday squad for the side this season.

Despite making the journey down for the 2-2 draw at The Walks, Bloomfield missed out entirely with captain Ryan Donaldson coming onto the bench in his place.

And with the 24-year-old scoring just two league goals for Pools so far this campaign, Hartlepool manager Dave Challinor felt his decision was justified.

“I had a good chat with Mason before we travelled and we’ve got to get him back to where I know he can be and the level I’ve seen him at,” he told The Mail.

“We haven’t seen him at that level here so far unfortunately, neither have our players.

“We’re being careful with him, he’s fine but we need more from him, especially when he is coming off from the bench.

"If he’s not technically great then he needs to be an absolute handful for us with his physicality and his size and we’ve just got to build him up and get him back to where he’s capable of being.

"I still think he can have a big impact this season. When you’re out of the side it can be easy to write things off but we’ve still got two and a half months to go with some massive games coming up so he’ll be needed.

"We left him out almost to freshen him up if you like and try and get him back at it.”

Wingers Josh MacDonald and Claudio Ofosu have struggled to even get a place on the bench this season with the pair also making the journey to Norfolk on Tuesday evening.

“It’s tough for them,” Challinor admitted. “We’ve got a lot of quality and we’re playing in a shape that doesn’t lend itself well to what they can give us.

"They’ve got to keep working hard, it’s a squad game and whatever we achieve this season will be down to the 22, 23 lads we’ve got, not just the starting 11 – they need to be ready to do themselves justice.”

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