Injuries, red cards and referees: The big talking points following Hartlepool United's 2-0 defeat at Solihull Moors

Team selection

Pools had a rare free week following their goalless draw at Barnet to prepare for the match at Damson Park.

Injuries to Luke Williams and Gary Liddle ruled them out while Rhys Oates and David Ferguson were also carrying knocks and wouldn’t make the journey.

Both Oates and Ferguson had impressed in the match at Yeovil 10 days prior, but the quick turnaround of games had taken its toll.

Fortunately, Mason Bloomfield was back from an ankle injury to come in for Oates and new signing Joe Bunney was registered in time to go straight into the starting XI in place of Ferguson.

The third and final change to the starting line-up saw Timi Odusina back in the side for the first time since the 5-0 defeat to Torquay United, he replaced the improving Ryan Johnson.

There was still no spot for Josh MacDonald on the bench while Henrich Ravas kept his place in between the sticks with Ben Killip missing out.

Red card and refereeing

Football matches are defined by moments. And 37-minutes into the game at Solihull, referee Thomas Parsons made a decision that would change the course of the game.

On his return to the side, Odusina was shown a straight red card for a last-man foul on Solihull’s Jamey Osborne.

The pair were tussling just inside the Hartlepool half before the Solihull man fell to the ground and the referee gave the decision in favour of the home side.

There was nothing in the challenge, there were arms involved from both players but nothing overly cynical. So to show a straight red card for an alleged foul 45-yards from goal with the pacey Tyler Magloire nearby was a questionable decision, to say the least.

Based on Challinor’s strong comments after the game, Pools will be appealing the dismissal due to their feelings that the referee had made a clear and obvious error in sending Odusina off.

Earlier in the game, Osborne was penalised for a late challenge on Odusina near the centre-circle but escaped with just a yellow card.

Both teams had penalty shouts turned down in either half before Parsons, in an apparent moment of madness, appeared to award Solihull a penalty despite their player handling the ball in Hartlepool’s penalty area.

The referee pointed to the spot for the best part of 10 seconds before appearing to change his mind and correctly awarding Pools the free-kick.

Unfortunately, this standard of officiating is not uncommon at National League level and Pools were the victims on Tuesday night.

Goals and chances

A goalless first half saw Osborne force a great save from Ravas in the Pools goal before Gavan Holohan stroked the ball past Ryan Boot only to be denied by the inside right post.

The sending off saw Johnson introduced from the bench at half-time in place of Luke Molyneux as Hartlepool changed their system to try and help shore things up.

Challinor’s side had been pressing high and causing problems for Solihull in the first half but once down to 10-men things were proving difficult.

Holohan came close once again but was denied by Boot from close range.

But just after the hour mark, Jordan Cranston’s whipped ball into the box was glanced into to right side of the goal by Krystian Pearce to give Solihull the lead.

The pace of the delivery and quick change of direction left Ravas wrong-footed in the Pools goal as the hosts found themselves a goal and a man to the good.

Pools continued to keep going and try and find an opening but struggled to muster up any chances with their numerical disadvantage.

The introduction of Claudio Ofosu and Joe Grey from the bench injected some pace and trickery in the final third with Grey doing brilliantly to hit the post late on but it was too little too late.

James Ball wrapped up the points in the closing stages as he pounced on Magloire’s mistake at the back to pick up the loose ball and make it 2-0.

Two soft goals to concede for Hartlepool but not an awful lot to choose between the sides on the night.

Tables and trends

Pools can rightly feel hard done by following Tuesday night’s defeat. They had some good chances, a strong penalty shout turned down and a controversial red card – but the table won't take any of that into account.

It’s a results business at the end of the day and 10 games into the National League season and Hartlepool are sitting 12th with 15 points, two off the play-offs. That’s the raw and objective way of looking at things without any opinions or agendas, that's what the side will be judged on.

Hartlepool have won just one of their last seven in the fifth tier and have failed to score in five of their last six games.

The exception in both cases is the 3-1 win at Yeovil Town, a side currently sitting bottom of the table without a victory so far this season.

Pools' problem has been clear for weeks regarding the lack of a goalscorer in the side. They’re struggling in front of goal and their recent form has suffered as a result.

It’s often too easy to focus on the negatives but recent results have prompted some cause for concern even if the level of performance has remained largely consistent.

But there’s nothing like a busy festive schedule to try and put things right.

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