Gavan Holohan discusses his stunted start at Hartlepool United, his future and Pools' National League promotion hopes

Gav Holohan is congratulated by Nicke Kabamba, Nicky Featherstone and Luke Molyneux (Shutterpress).

But now he's been given a starting berth, he's determined to prove he's worth a place at Pools long-term.

"It was very annoying sitting there waiting for basically a piece of paper to be signed and faxed over," said Holohan, who capped his first start at Aldershot on Saturday with a goal to rescue a point for Craig Hignett's side.

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"It was one of them where I just had to work hard, keep training and get my head down and wait for my chance.

"I have settled in well, everyone has been spot on. I can't speak highly enough of this football club," said the midfielder.

"It really feels like this team is going in the right direction.

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"Everything is there to be successful ahead of next season. The club wants to be pushing for promotion and I think you can see that's the way it is going.

"I am just concentrating on trying to get as many minutes as I can and then I will speak to the club at the end of the season.

"It is somewhere I could see myself playing and doing well but we have to just wait and see."

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On the goal, Holohan told BBC Radio Tees' Matty Jones: "Fair play to Jamo (Luke James) for seeing me - I was running in behind someone who was about 6ft 5in.

"As soon as I seen the ball come across my eyes lit up and I was just keen to make sure I stuck it in."

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While Holohan is looking to a bright 2019/20, hopefully with Hartlepool, he knows promotion hopes can quickly turn to relegation woes in the ultra competitive National League - all you have to do is look at Aldershot, who with the 1-1 draw were relegated to the National League South.

"It shows what can happen to teams when they drop to this level," said Holohan.

"A lot of us have been talking and the squad is surprised Aldershot found themselves in that position.

"But it is that type of league. It is dog eat dog at this level."