Player watch: How Middlesbrough's Terrell Agyemang performed in first Hartlepool United start

The man from Middlesbrough joined Hartlepool United on a short-term loan deal with the benefits, hopefully, being three-fold.

Agyemang labelled his month-long loan spell with Hartlepool as the chance to ‘make that step into first team football’ with the intention being to benefit himself, Hartlepool and parent club Middlesbrough – after all, the midfielder was brought in by Michael Carrick in the summer with the hope of eventually being able to challenge for a spot in the first team squad at the Riverside.

Credit, in that sense, must go to Agyemang for taking up the offer of a spell with Hartlepool. The 20-year-old could have stayed put in Boro’s academy and looked to force his way into consideration by that route rather than take on the challenge that is Hartlepool at the moment.

But after a bright enough cameo in what was otherwise a dismal afternoon in the FA Cup for Pools, Agyemang got his first real taste of senior league football at Aldershot Town.

“He did as well as anybody,” said John Askey.

“He kept going until the end, you couldn’t have asked much more from him.”

A quick look at Agyemang’s heat map demonstrates he had a busy afternoon, covering plenty of the EBB Stadium turf in both an attacking and defensive sense.

The midfielder completed four of his five dribbles and was involved in a total of 60 actions, as per Wyscout - only bettered by Tom Crawford (77) and Joe Grey (72), although Agyemang’s success rate was higher than both at 70 per cent to their 68 per cent and 56 per cent.

Agyemang enjoyed a 77 per cent pass success rate and was also on hand to bring two saves from Aldershot goalkeeper Jordi van Stappershoef – Emmanuel Dieseruvwe the only Hartlepool player to see more attempts on target.

Agyemang picked up space just inside the area on both occasions before showing quick feet to turn his marker and get a shot away, first with his right foot towards the end of the first half and then with his left foot in second half stoppage time.

The former Manchester City prospect was technically sound throughout and has at least given himself a platform to build upon before his loan deal expires next month.