Hartlepool United match-winner delivers encouraging message after Doncaster Rovers strike

The 22-year-old defender opened his account for Hartlepool in stunning style when racing onto Josh Umerah’s ball to hammer home in off the post to spark wild celebrations among the 1,032 travelling supporters behind the goal at the Eco-Power Stadium.

Dodds has made a fine start to life at the Suit Direct Stadium following his January switch from Middlesbrough - after the Teessider’s recalled the young defender from his non-league loan spell with Darlington

But the Bedlington-born man believes there is still more to come from him and Keith Curle’s team on the back of their success over Doncaster.

“There’s definitely more to come,” Dodds told The Mail.

“As a team, and individually, there’s always room for improvement. Personally for me there’s a lot more to give.

“When I first came in I was wanting to know if I was ready for the level and ready for the step up.

“The more I play, the more confident I become and the more I feel like I'm ready.”

He added: “I feel on top of the world.

“The lads and the display was so much better, more disciplined, and to come away with the three points in the position we’re in is vital.

“With the new signings coming in, we only had Thursday and Friday with them coming in at the last minute. But to gel together we couldn't have started a better way.

“People can see the way we tried to implement the players and how we wanted to play so hopefully we can step up from here.”

Dodds is not renowned for his goal scoring attributes, least as such to manager Curle who had promised the 22-year-old he would offer him a financial reward if he were to get on the scoresheet at Doncaster after Dodds had failed to impress with his shooting skills in training.

But Dodds proved Curle wrong when clinching all three points, with the Pools boss suggesting he’d happily pay up.

“To be fair he usually does,” joked Dodds.

“Yesterday he said in training if you score I’ll give you some money because in training my finishing was bad so I think he was trying to entice me to get on the front foot and do better.”

Dodds added: “My display was so much more disciplined.

“I was trying to stay in shape and stay compact and minimise the gaps for them. But in the last few minutes I thought it was my chance to go forward. I’d waited the whole game for that opportunity.

“I saw Feaths open up and I wanted it from Feaths to be fair, but he made the right decision and the ball came into my path.

“I’m quite confident I can beat any man with my pace - I haven't got any tricks, I'm more of a hit it and run.

“But I saw him dropping off so I thought he was a little bit nervous and went as far as possible, saw the angle, and just hit it across the goal and hoped for the best.”