Missed opportunities continue to trouble Hartlepool United as Graeme Lee questions players' decision making

Lee watched on as Pools created a number of good opportunities at the Sands Venue Stadium but was left frustrated as his side were forced to settle for a draw leaving them without a win in eight games.

The Pools boss has had to fend off several questions and accusations in recent week’s about his players being in holiday mode having secured their EFL status but believes the opportunities his team are creating suggest otherwise and that it’s just a matter of being able to take those chances when they come their way.

The draw with Scunthorpe appeared to follow a familiar pattern to a number of games this season where Pools have spurned several decent openings only to then be dealt a blow in conceding at the other end with Lee highlighting the January defeat at Bristol Rovers as a case in point.

“It’s decision making,” explained Lee.

“It’s hard. We can do all the drills that we do and work in the final third with movement - the movement could still be a lot better, we’ve tried to touch on that and work on it.

“We get the opportunities but then none of us can make the decisions for the players. It’s their choice for that final pass or that end product. That’s what wins you games and takes you forward in games.

“We’ve had that throughout the season where we’ve dominated games and not taken our chances and then been sucker punched.

“The Bristol Rovers game still haunts me. We performed that well it worried me that we didn't win the game.

“Here [at Scunthorpe] we haven’t lost the game but we should have won. We had enough on the pitch to win the game. It didn’t happen.

“We know we can be better in certain areas but we had a right go and you can see that. We were leaving two on two at the back at times.

“We should win the game, we know that. That’s the disappointing thing. But we created enough chances to do that.”

And it was frontman Omar Bogle who was as guilty as most at Scunthorpe, with the former Portsmouth and Birmingham City striker wasting a number of chances to add to his five goals since arriving in January.

Bogle went clean through on goal in the first half only to be denied by youngster Owen Foster who was on hand to thwart the 29-year-old again after the break with an excellent save onto the post.

“That’s what we’re talking about. They’re the moments you’re expecting to put away,” said Lee.

“We had opportunities and fair play to their keeper, for a young lad he looked very assured and he made some good saves. We probably gave him the chance to make some good saves instead of punishing him.

“The pleasing thing is we created the opportunities, the frustrating thing is we’re not putting them away.”

Lee will be hoping his side can remedy their conversion rate in the final game of the season this weekend as Pools host Colchester United at the Suit Direct Stadium.