Hartlepool United manager Dave Challinor stresses the importance of his players getting 90-minutes following friendlies at Gateshead and Darlington

Pools won 4-1 at Gateshead in what was their final match of pre-season before the proposed start of the National League season on October 3.

Shortly before that, a secret practice match at Darlington had been arranged for the rest of the squad to ensure all available players were able to complete a full match before the competitive season gets under way.

The Pools XI at Darlington featured two trialists as well as Luke Williams. Mason Bloomfield and Rhys Oates were on the scoresheet for Dave Challinor’s side as the match ended 2-2.

Following Saturday’s matches, Challinor said: “It’s important that everyone got 90-minutes or as close to 90-minutes as possible on Saturday.

"The results ultimately aren’t that important during pre-season but it’s great that we put on a good performance [at Gateshead] and I’m really pleased to see us execute aspects that we’ve been working on well.

“It is really pleasing to see some of the stuff we showed today, especially in the second half.

"In the first half, it was difficult with the wind at our back. Second half we thought we might be under a little bit of pressure but we gave the players some information at half-time around how we wanted to cause Gateshead problems and I thought we did that really well.

“The only tiny negative which could work out as a good thing for us, was conceding right at the end. It’s a good sign that the players are talking about that in there and wanting to put it right because it gives us something to work on going into next weekend.”

Pools are set to open their National League campaign against Aldershot Town at Victoria Park.

And with pre-season proving to be particularly disjointed, Challinor was determined to get two matches played on Saturday.

“We were at a point this weekend, where we needed everyone to get 90-minutes before the start of the season and it was really our last chance to do that," the Pools boss told The Mail.

“When the news broke about the Middlesbrough game being called off, we scrambled around and had a choice as to whether we played a 90-minute practice game in house and cancel the Gateshead game, or try and get a game organised against another club.

"We were hoping to play Consett on Friday night but that was cancelled unfortunately due to the changes in laws for the Durham FA.

"I’d spoken to Alun Armstrong [Darlington manager] about a potential game because they were struggling too. Both of us would much rather play a competitive game of sorts against proper opposition than an in house match.

“So we organised that and took a squad there this morning, I managed to see most of the game before shooting up to Gateshead.

"What it does mean is that everyone available for us has got a full 90-minutes on the pitch and come through it unscathed. It should do the players the world of good for next weekend.”

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