Hartlepool United manager full of praise for George Evans following "massively important" Braintree Town clean sheet

Although Pools missed out on the chance to climb into the National League play-off places for the first time since September after failing to get past a spirited Iron side who are just a point above the relegation zone, Sunday's stalemate did at least stop the rot following back-to-back defeats.

While goals are proving hard to come by of late - Pools have scored just once in the three matches since Featherstone was appointed manager until the end of the season, a late consolation during their humiliating FA Trophy defeat at the hands of Northern Premier League Division One Midlands side Anstey Nomads - the back line has been solid and resolute for large parts of the campaign.

Indeed, Pools kept a third successive away clean sheet at Cressing Road thanks in large part to some goalkeeping heroics from the impressive Evans. With West Ham loanee Mason Terry catching the eye at the other end, making fine saves to deny the likes of Ashley Nathaniel-George, Adam Campbell and substitute Pharrell Brown, Evans produced a string of superb stops to secure a point for his side.

Having done well to thwart James Vennings, Sahid Kamara and Terrell Works, Evans saved his side in the fourth and final minute of added time when he kept out Lewis Walker's point-blank header to preserve his clean sheet. While it's true that the Braintree frontman, who hasn't scored since a brace on the opening day of the season, shouldn't have given Evans a chance, it was nonetheless a superb reaction stop from the 20-year-old.

Of course, Evans also had another strong showing from his back four to thank as he celebrated his fourth shutout in 10 matches since signing on loan for Pools in October. Cameron John, as so often, was perhaps the standout performer in front of Evans and kept his side level with a remarkable goalline clearance just when Kamara's curling effort looked destined to nestle in the bottom corner and hand the hosts the advantage.

It's testament to the impressive form of Evans that Pools have hardly missed outstanding Hull loanee Harvey Cartwright, who kept seven clean sheets in 13 matches before his spell was cut short following a serious injury sustained during the first half of October's defeat to rivals Carlisle. Evans, who made a handful of Championship appearances for Millwall last season, was signed as his replacement and the youngster has gone from strength-to-strength since an impressive debut against York a little over 48 hours after his arrival in the North East.

"It was important that we got back to that clean sheet mentality, we've gone away from that a little bit recently," Featherstone told the official Pools club website.

"It's massively important for George, the back four and the team as a whole to keep that clean sheet. If you can keep clean sheets then it gives you a chance of winning games, you only need to score once to win a match rather than needing two or three goals.

"If there was a positive to take out of the game, then it's that. I don't think it's all doom and gloom, there were moments in the game that were very good. Again, there are some moments that we need to brush up on and improve on - and we will do that."

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