What has changed at Hartlepool United since Dave Challinor took charge as manager? The former AFC Fylde boss explains following an upturn in form in the National League

At the turn of the year, Pools were sitting 16th in the National League table, six points off the relegation zone and seven off the play-offs.

Their campaign looked set to dwindle out prematurely as it had in the previous two seasons in the fifth tier.

But a run of just one defeat in seven matches – including four consecutive home wins for the first time at this level – sees Pools just a point of the top seven with 11 games remaining.

Challinor previously questioned the fitness of his players but has been impressed with the progress Pools are making.

“I hate that it’s the easiest thing to say that the players aren’t fit enough,” he said following Saturday’s 2-0 win over Notts County.

“It’s rubbish because the players are fit but we’re focusing on a different level of intensity that they haven’t been asked to do.

“That’s not to say they couldn’t do it, but it was a different style and a different way of playing.

“The intensity has absolutely changed, that’s not to say what we’re doing is right but that’s just the way I want my teams to play.

“If we were playing this game back in November, we would have probably been sitting in against Notts County and allowing them to have a lot of the ball so we could play them on the counter-attack.

“The way I want to play coincides with what the requirements are here with our amazing supporters who want to get behind a team that gets on the front foot and is aggressive at home.

“The players have trusted in us to push them and at times we’ve made it tough for them and given them sessions that have hurt them but at the moment they’re reaping the rewards of that.

“It’s my job to improve the players. I have a strong feeling that we will be successful and the players have trusted that we’re going to push them with scientific backing behind it.”