Paul Hartley reflects on 'difficult' EFL decision after Hartlepool United's League Two fixture with Doncaster Rovers was postponed

Following Thursday’s shocking news, where the Queen is said to have passed peacefully at Balmoral, football has seen the weekend round of fixtures postponed as a mark of respect.

Hartlepool United were set to host Doncaster Rovers on Saturday before Tuesday’s fixture with Crewe Alexandra as manager Paul Hartley admits it was a tough decision for the EFL to make.

Hartley said to The Mail: “I think it’s a difficult one isn’t it? Particularly when you see other sports going forward and playing.

“I think football is always the one that gets stopped and we were disappointed in that.

“But we’ve got to get on with it, that’s just the way it is.

“We felt with the two games, if they had went ahead on Saturday and tonight, we could have got maximum points from it.

“We’re just disappointed that we couldn't tonight because I felt we were in control and comfortable in the game.”

Pools had to settle for a draw after Daniel Agyei scored in the closing stages to rescue a point for Crewe.

It's the second successive game where Hartley’s side have seen three points snatched away from them after Colchester United’s 94th minute equaliser last time out.

Ahead of the fixture with the Railwaymen, both sets of players and supporters paid their respects to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II by observing a minute's silence followed by the national anthem.

Both the minute’s silence, and the national anthem, were impeccably observed, with players also wearing black armbands in honour of Queen Elizabeth II.