Pools head coach vows to adapt amidst concerns over conditions of Halifax's pitch

The playing surface in West Yorkshire has been a cause for controversy in recent years. The deterioration of the pitch forced Halifax to play three of their home games away from The Shay last season and conditions have not improved this term. Manager Chris Millington has blamed the surface for Halifax's recent injury crisis and suggested it was threatening to "derail" his side's season while Halifax Courier journalist Tom Scargill blasted it as an "embarrassment".

To make matters even more complicated, the impending sale of the ground to Ken Davy, who owns Super League side Huddersfield Giants, could scupper the Shaymen's chances of another shot at the play-offs should they qualify.

Davy wants the Giants to play their home matches at the ground while a new stadium is being built for them in Kirklees. The Shaymen already share their home with rugby league side Halifax Panthers; EFL regulations state that "a club sharing with one Rugby League team will be acceptable, but a club seeking to share with a Rugby Union team and a Rugby League team, or two Rugby Union teams, will not."

Limbrick has worked hard to turn Pools into a more possession-based side since replacing Lennie Lawrence at the start of last month. Following a difficult start, Pools have shown signs of improvement of late and produced their best performance under the Australian when they thumped in-form Boston last time out. While Limbrick's current approach represents a balance between implementing his own forward-thinking ideas with the need for pragmatism - after all, he inherited a squad built by Darren Sarll and designed to suit his more robust and route one style - a run of three games unbeaten suggests Pools are starting to get used to the renewed emphasis on possession-based play. However, Pools may need to revert back to a more direct approach this weekend in order to cope with Halifax's pitch and Limbrick admits his side will have to adapt.

"It is something we will have to adapt to," he said.

"From memory, it's one of the biggest pitches. I've taken teams there before and it's a huge pitch.

"I think you always have to be adaptable in this league, there are all sorts of different pitches. Barnet's pitch was very, very good, York's pitch is a good standard, but then there are others that are a lot less good. You have to be able to vary your game and you have to know how to win in different ways. It's not always going to be as free-flowing as it was on the weekend and we have to adapt to that. I still believe we can play the football that we need to be effective, create chances and score goals."

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