Lessons learned for Hartlepool United and Dave Challinor following 1-0 defeat to Ebbsfleet United at Victoria Park

Pools sit just one point off the play-off places ahead of their trip to Sutton United this Saturday (3pm kick-off).

And after a busy past couple of weeks, the Hartlepool manager’s focus will be more on the lessons to learn from the Ebbsfleet defeat rather than pushing his players with the notorious ‘terror Tuesday’ training sessions.

“Sometimes it’s best to say nothing [straight after the game] and that was the case,” Challinor said.

“We’ll deal with things, reflect and look back on the game. The lads have worked their socks off recently so the early part of this week is a little bit less in terms of what we’re doing – it will be around lessons we can learn from the match.”

He added: “I thought we wasted the first 25-minutes [against Ebbsfleet], we didn’t put them under enough pressure.

“It didn’t take a rocket scientist to work out what they were trying to do during the game. We’ve got to be ruthless when the opportunities come about and make good decisions so things don’t become frustrating.

“We didn’t do that in the first 25-minutes but we had a spell either side of half-time and it’s then when you have to be taking the lead.

“When you look back from last Tuesday [at Solihull Moors], Aidan [Keena’s] chance comes along which he takes. Saturday, he has a chance and it’s straight at the goalkeeper.

“We didn’t get the first goal and from their perspective as an away performance they came here, frustrated and got their break with the penalty.

“Can you look at it and say it’s definitely not a penalty? No. Can you say it definitely is a penalty? I don’t think you can – he’s given it and we can’t change that.

“They go away having won a game and gameplan wise that’s exactly what they wanted.

“Even if they came and got a point then it’s a point towards survival in this league – it shows the moments and ruthlessness required to decide any game.”