Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor reluctant to make ‘knee-jerk’ reaction ahead of Aldershot trip

After going 16 matches unbeaten in the National League, Pools were beaten 1-0 at Bromley then lost 4-2 at home to Maidenhead United.

It’s a rare dip in what has been a very successful 2021 for Hartlepool so far and Challinor is backing his players to turn things around with a consistent side.

“It’s tough because you’ve got to assess that the run we’ve had has been with a largely pretty consistent team,” he said. “It’s easy to be knee jerk and you’ve got to look back and go, we’ve gone unbeaten in 16 games with a pretty consistent team.

"Those players don’t become poor players and you don’t rotate everything and make it a revolving door based on one game.

"We’ll have some players who are more suited to different circumstances hence the reason we made the subs. We pick a team to go and win a game, we were forced into changes and those changes resulted in us not getting a win.”

Pools are expected to have both Gary Liddle and Luke Armstrong back available for the trip to the EBB Stadium this weekend.

“This weekend, the players who were out last week come back into consideration,” Challinor added. “I don’t think it’ll be stupid to say they’ll come back into the team and start.

"It’s not worked the past two games but we’ll look to make it work this weekend.”

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