The West Ham United and England ace Hartlepool United loanee met before inspired display against AFC Wimbledon

Kemp scored twice in a dramatic final 20 minutes at the Cherry Red Records Stadium - first with another stunning free kick before the MK Dons loan star would pop up deep into second half stoppage time to head home David Ferguson’s cross to claim what could be a crucial point for Hartlepool come the end of the season.

But prior to the game, Kemp came to manager Curle to ask if he could leave the team hotel to go and meet a friend - that friend being West Ham United and England ace Declan Rice.

“Strangely enough, Kempy came to see me and asked if he could go and have a coffee with his mate,” Curle told The Mail.

“One of his best mates is Declan Rice. So I allowed him to go and leave the hotel and meet up with Declan.

“I think that was a header he would have been proud to have scored and it was probably a position he would have been happy to get into as well.

“We did try to sign him,” Curle joked.

“We sent a contract over but he didn’t accept.”

Kemp himself also commented on his meeting with Rice, admitting he and the England midfielder have been friends for several years and that he is grateful for their friendship.

And with West Ham not in action until Sunday when taking on Tottenham Hotspur, Rice will have been afforded a wry smile at news of Kemp’s inspired impact for Hartlepool.

Kemp told The Mail: “He’s been my best mate since we were six or seven-years-old so we just went for a little catch up.

“It was great to see him, I don’t get to see him as much as I’d like to.

“He gave me some advice before the game and he’d probably like to give me a text and say ‘there you go,’ but it was good to meet up with him.

“The gaffer said can you get him here? But what a player he is and he’s always been 100 per cent behind me and I’m so grateful for him.”

Kemp has made a fine start to his Hartlepool career with three goals in four appearances and manager Curle has admitted he is the type of player the club should be looking to sign more often.

“I think a lot of people will look at him and not only are there goals, but the lad has got ability,” Curle told The Mail.

“That’s the type of player the football club wants to be looking for and wants to recruit because that’s the type of player who can give you an identity.

“He can play forward but when the ball pops out you need ball mastery and the ability to change possession in attack and he’s got that and also his set piece deliveries.

“I think Callum Cooke will have competition when he’s back fit because Callum likes taking free kicks, Fergie likes taking free kicks. But at the minute they’re admiring the quality Dan Kemp has.”