'A nervousness, an anxiousness around the place' - Nicky Featherstone reacts to Hartlepool United's Morecambe draw

Hartlepool United interim boss Nicky Featherstone has given his reaction to the disappointing draw at home to Morecambe on Tuesday night.

Officially, more than 3,100 fans ventured through the turnstiles as Pools looked to claim a win that could have lifted them to within a point of the play-off places. While that looked to be on the cards when Adam Campbell fired them in front with just three minutes on the clock after neat approach play from Jermaine Francis.

However, the visitors ensured Pools had to settle for a point as striker Admiral Muskwe scored from the penalty spot just five minutes into the second-half.

Reacting to the draw, Featherstone told The Red Radio: “I thought we started the game really well, positively, front foot for the first half-hour and I thought the performance was really good. After that, we struggled to get to terms with their style of play and it was a little bit lacklustre. The second-half, we had a couple of opportunities early on and then Reidy has a great chance late on to win it which you’d usually back him to score. But I think, on reflection, a one-one draw is probably about right.

“I’ve said it time and time again, our home fixtures are proving difficult to play. There is a nervousness, an anxiousness around the place. So that’s something the lads have to deal with, that’s something we have to deal with but it’s disappointing to start the game how we did but to come off it after that.

“I have been here 11 years, 12 seasons now, this is what it is. As a group of people, we have to deal with that, but because we aren’t used to winning lots of games at home, we are proving difficult to see games out and we end up sitting back, probably subconsciously more than anything. It’s not a plan, it’s not a ploy to sit back but when you defending leads and the place is getting anxious and nervous, it’s a natural thing to do.

“From the start we had, yes (should have won), but I was under no illusions this was going to be a tough game. I said it all week. They’re in false position for me in terms of how they play. I listened to the Eastleigh manager after their game and he said something similar. They have a very obvious style of play, they’re playing with freedom where they have nothing to lose because of the position they are in so that’s a dangerous team to play against.

“We want to win our home games and from the start we made and getting a goal ahead to put in the performance of the last 60 minutes is disappointing and an opportunity lost.”