Joe Ramage: Hartlepool United avoid midfield disruption as MK Dons loanee shines bright

Four points from six represents a good return for John Askey’s side, Askey still, remarkably, yet to taste defeat since taking over at the Suit Direct Stadium.

And within those two games we saw two different Hartlepool’s in play.

At Grimsby we saw a confident, flamboyant side inspired by the magnificent Dan Kemp, whereas on Easter Monday we saw grit and determination from Askey’s team as they were able to grind out another point against a robust Stevenage.

But away from the two types of performance we have seen from Hartlepool, we have also seen two different attitudes in players.

On the one hand you have Kemp.

The midfielder has excelled since joining on loan from MK Dons and saw his affiliation with Hartlepool supporters sky-rocket after a superb hat-trick at Blundell Park.

His three goals, two from open play, one from the penalty spot, all demonstrated a differing quality he has been able to bring whether it’s the guile of timing a run, the skill and technique of a first touch or strike with a weaker foot or the utmost composure to dispatch from 12-yards.

What’s more is Kemp is visibly enjoying being in blue and white.

Each time he speaks it is with focus, desire and passion for being here. And let’s not forget, he doesn’t have to be here.

When Keith Curle came calling in January, the proposition of taking a step down from League One to join a League Two relegation battle seems just as uninspiring as it is.

And yet Kemp made the decision with complete commitment.

He sees this as an opportunity to shine, to be the star in a survival campaign.

They often say ‘don’t fall in love with loan players,’ but there is sure to be plenty of broken hearts when Kemp heads back to League One.

But Kemp flourishing has been somewhat overshadowed by the unfolding situation regarding Mohamad Sylla.

Sylla was missing from Good Friday’s win over Grimsby having been deemed not mentally right to compete.

It begs the question, why?

If, as suspected, it’s contract-related, with only a month left of the season Sylla’s apparent decision to dig his heels in seems a little misplaced.

Sylla, like Kemp, has impressed for Hartlepool this season and, you would suspect, he will likely have alerted the attention of teams with his performances in a side who have struggled.

But could this not have been an issue to be resolved at the end of the season?

The mindset, as Askey suggested when discussing Sylla’s absence, has to be on ensuring Hartlepool’s survival at this stage. To potentially disrupt that leading into the Grimsby game with so few games remaining is disappointing.

Quite how the conversations between Askey and Sylla went over the Easter weekend are unclear, but they were enough for Sylla to return against Stevenage, where he again impressed.

The hope is this has been just a slight bump in the road, with all hands now back on deck.

If not, Sylla could do worse than take a leaf out of Kemp’s book when it comes to Hartlepool’s cause.

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