Hartlepool Utd didn’t serve frontmen in Tranmere Rovers draw

Pools started the match brightly but didn’t take advantage and were then under the cosh for large periods of the Sky Bet League Two encounter.

The on-loan Middlesbrough winger, whose loan spell has been extended for a further four weeks, didn’t feel as though there was much to separate the two sides at Victoria Park.

The Northern Ireland Under-21 international praised the defence for securing their side’s second clean sheet in seven days but said Charlie Wyke and Jonathan Franks needed more support.

Brobbel admitted afterwards he was disappointed with his own second-half performance and believes his busy schedule last week, which saw him travel to Belfast for an Under-21 match against Serbia, had an affect.

He was subbed by Colin Cooper late into the game and, by his own admission, felt “leggy”.

Brobbel said: “We came out of the blocks quickly and could have got an early goal.

“We had a few half chances – including one myself but got a little bit underneath it – and then the game settled down.

“Second half was disappointing, for me anyway, as I didn’t get into the game as much as I wanted to.

“Playing last Saturday, then another full 90 on Tuesday and then playing again Saturday I hadn’t had a day off.

“But the manager had managed me well and in training just said do as much as you can and feel you need.

“I feel tired now and that was probably a reason he brought me off – I looked a bit leggy.”

Brobbel said he was pleased Cooper kept faith with the players that had beaten Shrewsbury Town 2-0 the Saturday before and said they were full of confidence going into the Rovers game. But they couldn’t find the breakthrough and then Rob Edwards’ side went on to dominate large periods of the game.

“The confidence from the Shrewsbury win meant we all came out of the blocks flying,” said the Boro Academy graduate.

“But once we didn’t get that early goal then we dropped back a bit and invited pressure.

“First half I thought we were the better team.

“Second-half both teams were trying to see the game out really and there wasn’t that much in it or many chances although they did hit the bar.

“We could have created a bit more – if we had settled down a bit more.

“But the lads have done well to get another clean sheet.

“I thought the strikers did well too, they didn’t get many balls to their feet as it was all aerial battles but I thought they held the ball up well, to a certain extent.

“It is hard to bring others in though with us dropping off so deep and they didn’t get the support they needed.

“First half I saw a fair bit of the ball and got a few crosses in which could have been a better quality but in the second both teams resorted to long ball and missed the midfield out and started to play into the channels.

“That isn’t a bad way to win games because it gets you up the pitch but I prefer the ball to my feet.”