Simon Grayson calls for a reaction from lacklustre Hartlepool United ahead of Aldershot Town trip

Saturday's goalless draw with newly-promoted Brackley left Grayson bitterly disappointed after Pools failed to score for the third time in four games. Having started the season so well, picking up 10 points from the first 12 available, Pools are beginning to stall in recent weeks and some of their hard-won momentum is at risk of being lost. A run of five games without a win has seen Pools lose ground on their promotion rivals and fall out of the play-off places, while Saturday's lacklustre performance was a cause for concern. Despite their recent run of poor results, there have been plenty of positives to take from some of the Pools performances; Grayson was pleased with how his side dug in after being reduced to 10 men against Boreham Wood, while Pools created more than enough chances to beat Boston. Even the defeat to Forest Green, the first time Pools had been beaten all season, was a decent enough display against one of the best side's in the division. It was hard to fathom, then, quite how Pools managed to produce such a turgid showing at the weekend.

Pools have the chance to bounce back on Saturday when they make the long trip to an Aldershot side who are themselves without a win in their last four matches. One thing's for sure, the weekend's clash is unlikely to be a repeat of the uninspiring stalemate against Brackley. Shots games are rarely short of entertainment; indeed, Aldershot are the division's leading scorers but also have the second worst defensive record under former Pools promotion-winning midfielder Tommy Widdrington. Having lost all of their first three matches, the Hampshire side beat Solihull Moors and Morecambe by an aggregate score of 9-1 but have drawn three and lost one of their last four games, conceding nine goals in the process. That leaves the Shots in 16th, two points above the relegation places. With Aldershot no doubt looking to bounce back from their defeat at promotion-contenders Carlisle last time out, Pools will have to be at their best if they're to end their winless run at the EBB Stadium this weekend.

"We're disappointed because we've played poorly (against Brackley) and we haven't created chances, we've only picked up a point where we wanted to get three," Grayson told the official Pools club website.

"We'll get in on Monday, we'll do the work and we'll be ready for another tough test. In the previous few games, we've played well enough. In terms of Forest Green, in and out of possession we were good, Boston we played really well. This is hopefully just going to be something that we can put down to being a bad day at the office."

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