Keith Curle explains 'big decision' to drop Hartlepool United goalkeeper for Leicester City youngster

After 28 consecutive starts in the league this season, Killip found himself on the bench for the trip to Doncaster Rovers with Leicester City’s Jakub Stolarczyk preferred for his Hartlepool debut after completing a loan move to the Suit Direct Stadium in January.

And the Polish goalkeeper would not let Curle down after he earned a clean sheet, just their sixth in the league this season, on their way to a crucial three points.

Stolarczyk was called upon to make an important save early in the second half to deny Caolan Lavery with the score at 0-0 and enjoyed a successful first outing.

But Curle has suggested the decision to go with the 22-year-old over Killip was not an easy one after telling The Mail he felt Killip needed taking out of the firing line having come under pressure in recent weeks.

“It wasn’t a decision that was made lightly,” Curle told The Mail.

“Ben is a very good goalkeeper. But it’s one of those. It’s decisions that you have to make and I made them for the right reasons.

“It’s not just a case of if I wake up on one side of the bed or the other, it’s conversations between myself and Kyle Letheren and what I see myself on the training ground.

“I explained myself, Ben came to see me, which you would expect, and that’s where you deal with the honesty: ‘Ben I’m going to make a change, I need to take you out of the firing line and give you an opportunity to reset and refocus.’

“At that point you can either get off the bus and throw your toys out of the pram or you can understand the rationale behind it and do what’s right for Jakub. Be that support mechanism and get the best out of him. And Ben has been exemplary in that.

“The best thing is Ben is angry, disappointed, frustrated, annoyed as I'd expect him to be. But he conducted himself excellently.

“I told him, it hasn’t been easy for him because some of the defences he has been playing behind would cause hesitancy for anybody.

“Sometimes it’s easier to take a step back, refocus and wait for his next opportunity.”

Stolarczyk, almost a year to the day on from his senior debut in football for Dunfermline, became the first Hartlepool goalkeeper to keep a clean sheet on debut since Henrich Ravas in 2020’s 6-0 FA Cup success over non-league side Ilkeston.

Since then a number of goalkeepers such as Brad James, Jonathan Mitchell, Nicholas Bilokapic, Kyle Letheren and Alex Cairns have all conceded on debut with Curle pleased by the 22-year-old’s performance.

“I thought he did well. He kept a clean sheet,” said Curle.

“But I don’t mind making big decisions and I don’t mind people knocking at my door. If anything I’ll get a bigger door to make it easier.

“I’m not saying I enjoy dealing with disgruntled players, because I don’t, I don’t make people unhappy on purpose.

“But if a player wants answers or information, ask me. Don’t ask somebody else. Don’t go on social media. Come to me and I’ll tell you why you’re not playing.”