'We can't' - Adam Clayton reflects on Hartlepool United's defeat against Harrogate Town
Hartlepool United suffered an eighth defeat in their last nine games as Harrogate Town earned a 1-0 win at Victoria Park.
Adam Clayton insisted Hartlepool United can not afford to accept defeats after an improved performance against Harrogate Town failed to reap any rewards on another frustrating night at Victoria Park.
Clayton and Gary Liddle took charge of the first home game of their reign as interim management team on Tuesday night as they looked to move on from a deeply disappointing defeat at fellow strugglers Scunthorpe United at the weekend. The duo opted to make five changes to their starting eleven and that included handing a debut to new goalkeeper Max Thompson and a first competitive senior start to young midfielder Charlie Thornton.
The early signs were promising as Pools looked energetic and created chances with Will Harris, Jordan Hugill and youngster Thornton all going close - but the game was decided by a deflected effort from Harrogate captain Bailey Hobson ten minutes into the second-half.
That was enough to condemn Pools to their eighth defeat in their last nine games - and although he took pride from the improvement his side showed, Clayton has insisted they can not get into a mindset where defeats are accepted.
Speaking after the defeat, the former Middlesbrough midfielder said: “It’s a different feeling from last week. I said I felt sorry for them last week but it was in a different way. I felt sorry for them tonight in a really proud way. They have given us everything we have asked of them - but ultimately, we can’t accept losing. They’re a good side, they cause teams problems, come down from League Two last year, ask enormous amounts of questions of you and I thought we dealt with them really well. We let them have the ball in their half a little bit and pressed at the right time. I am very, very proud. I genuinely am. But we have lost and we shouldn’t have lost as many games as we have this season so we have to bring that performance again Saturday and I am sure that will win us the game.”
‘We haven’t got the results to prove it to each other’
A home game with Tamworth is next on the agenda and as it stands, Liddle and Clayton will be in the dugout once again this weekend. The latter of the duo has taken heart from the performance on Tuesday night and believes it has shown Pools can compete with the best in the league.
When asked if the players could see the positives from the performance, Clayton said: “They have to. We’ve been telling them from the start that they are good players, they can be a good team. A lot of new faces in the summer but they can be a good team. They just haven’t found out yet. You have to sort of fake it until you make it. We haven’t got the results to prove it to each other - but I said before the game we are up against a team that will be up there, they’re very good at this level and tonight you will prove we can compete with the best teams in the league and we can be up there - and I thought we did.”
Your next Hartlepool United read: Hartlepool United's woes continue with narrow home defeat against Harrogate Town