John Askey shares brief half season verdict on Hartlepool United

Hartlepool’s season to date has been underwhelming with the club struggling in the bottom half of the National League table despite the target of an immediate promotion back to the Football League following relegation last year.

Askey’s side made it to the halfway stage of the campaign at the weekend where they fell to a 12th league defeat of the season to leaders Chesterfield. Armando Dobra’s early strike was the difference between the two teams with the Spireites holding an eight point lead over second placed Bromley and a whopping 29 point advantage over Hartlepool in 15th place.

Pools have been dealt plenty of misfortune over the first few months of the campaign with several injuries plaguing Askey’s team selection and rhythm after the club enjoyed its best start to a season in over 30-years. But Askey’s side have, ultimately, fallen well short of where they would have expected to be as we reach the midpoint of the season.

"It’s been a frustrating season, no doubt, because we started like a house on fire,” said Askey.

"Then, without using excuses, things haven’t gone for us. We haven’t had the squad to really deal with it and that’s cost us really.

“But at this time of the season they [the players] don’t need hammering. It’s just about going through things and preparing properly for the games we’ve got coming up.

“We hope we can take heart [from the defeat to Chesterfield] even though it’s disappointing. We’ve still got to be tighter and react to situations better defensively, but if we can keep everybody fit then we’ll be fine.

“I don’t think they’ll lose confidence playing how they played against the team top of the league. But it’s important now that over the Christmas period, where we’ve got some tough games still to come, that we pick points up so that we’re in and around it come January.”

But with Hartlepool so far off the pace, Askey knows there will need to be a considerable improvement in the second half of the season if they are to chase down those play-off spot.