Dave Challinor verdict on how the Hartlepool United squad has adapted to his methods - and what's to come

Pools, four points adrift of the top seven with 12 games to play, have given themselves a fighting chance of a play-off spot as the National League season reaches a climax.

Challinor has been keen to stamp a more intensive style of play into the Pools players, a team which presses high and has more energy running through the spine of the team.

When asked about Pools starting to become ‘his side’, Challinor said: “A little bit, I still think there’s lots to come.

“In terms of the stuff we’re trying to get across, some of it is being shown on the pitch.

“I’d like us to continue to build on that and be harder to beat but what we’ve shown is a lot of character in terms of not getting disappointed by being behind.

“We’ve managed to get results fairly consistently but some of those have been draws where we should have won, the Dover game for example.

“Football, the way it is, people will always look back and go we could have had two points there and two points there but you can’t do that, you just have to move on.

“We’re still a work in progress, absolutely, but what we’ve got to do is get more belief because every team in this division has got a chance and it’s that wide open.”

Challinor added: “There’s certainly more intent about us and we’re playing on the front foot.

“I want us to be a team who press and get in opposition’s faces if you like.

“It was never going to be a flick of the switch turnaround because as fit as players are, they’re not tuned to go and do the things required straight away but they’ve responded really well and shown signs and there’s loads more to come.

“The players are doing as much as we’ve asked and we’re getting closer to where I want us to be.”