Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor on the 'big positive' from opening two National League wins against Aldershot Town and Chesterfield

Hartlepool United’s season couldn’t have got off to a better start.
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Two wins from two and confidence is high amongst the Pools squad going in to Saturday’s match at Maidenhead United.

Dave Challinor’s side beat Aldershot Town 2-1 at Victoria Park on the opening day before following it up with a win by the same scoreline at Chesterfield on Tuesday evening.

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Player ratings from Chesterfield win
David Ferguson of Hartlepool United and Craig Tanner of Aldershot Town during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Aldershot Town at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 3rd October 2020. (Credit: Christopher Booth | MI News)David Ferguson of Hartlepool United and Craig Tanner of Aldershot Town during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Aldershot Town at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 3rd October 2020. (Credit: Christopher Booth | MI News)
David Ferguson of Hartlepool United and Craig Tanner of Aldershot Town during the Vanarama National League match between Hartlepool United and Aldershot Town at Victoria Park, Hartlepool on Saturday 3rd October 2020. (Credit: Christopher Booth | MI News)

All four of Hartlepool's goals so far this season have come as a result of putting crosses into the box.

David Ferguson’s cross led to Nicky Featherstone’s converted penalty at Aldershot with Ryan Donaldson’s delivery being nodded in by Gavan Holohan for the winner.

At Chesterfield, Ferguson was twice the provider from the left as an own goal and near-post finish from debutant Ryan Johnson saw Pools claim another victory.

“The big positive from the opening two games for me is the number of balls we’re putting into the box,” Challinor admitted.

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“The quality has generally been really good and the bodies we’re getting in there is giving us a chance and on Tuesday we scored from two crosses.

"The second one was really pleasing because we knew we could get some joy in that area and Ryan (Johnson) got the reward for that and could have done it a second time as well.

"It’s massively pleasing, Chesterfield a difficult place to come but it’s a really good start for us.

"We’ve got to go back that up on Saturday now at Maidenhead. We’re a little bit stretched in numbers which isn’t ideal but it’ll show the depth we’ve got and other people will get opportunities and they’ll have to grab them.”

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