Pegged-Back Pools Were Just Too Flat Grumbles Bates

Despite taking the lead, Pools were pegged back by out-of-form Eastleigh at Victoria Park.

Bates says his side did more than enough to win the game.

But he was ticked off a low-key second half from his players saw two points dropped after the Spitfires found the equaliser.

“We’re frustrated because in the first half we were brilliant and could have been two or three up,” he said.

“But we were flat when we came out for the second half and it took their equaliser for us to get back to the standards of the first half.

“Their keeper made a couple of great saves and I think against a side in a poor run of form if we had gone 2-0 up then we could have gone to get three of four but it wasn’t to be.

Bates told Pools PlayerHD.““We’re disappointed, of course, but I think that shows how far we’ve come.

“We’re still on a great run and up there in the league but we’ve come a long way as a club.”