Hartlepool 0 Pompey 2: Gaffer For A Day

What were your thoughts on that?

The first half was terrible, the game was slow and Hartlepool were hard to break down.

Then after the break it was quite entertaining and we deserved to get the win.

Who was your man of the match?

Adam Barton looked so comfortable in defence, he didn’t lose a header while his ball-playing skills are second-to -none.

He was our stand-out player and I’ve been really impressed with him in that role.

It works well when the opposition have one central striker, it allows Barton time on the ball.

It would be interesting to see how he would cope with two.

I am still a fan of Matt Clarke and Adam Webster but what can you do when they are injured?

In their absence Barton has come in and got two clean sheets.

What was your verdict of Brian Murphy on his return?

He made a couple of really good saves in the second half which had Hartlepool fans with their heads in their hands, while his distribution was superb.

We currently have two first-team keepers out injured and it’s great to have someone as good as Murphy to come in. Any one of Murphy, Paul Jones and Ryan Fulton could come into the side and no-one would be fazed by it.

I like how he can ping balls across and is so quick with his distribution but he does worry me from corners as he is not as commanding as someone like Fulton.

And Conor Chaplin?

What can you do with the guy, where can you fit him in the team?

I really don’t know, it must be giving Paul Cook a real selection headache!

He always has that goal in him so needs minutes on the pitch.

Perhaps he could play behind Marc McNulty, when fit, but then again they are quite similar so that might not work.

Let the manager decide!

So it’s Plymouth in the play-offs then.

Both times we played them we tore them apart and they are definitely beatable.

It is two massive clubs going head-to-head.

And after our last match against them our players will want to step up.

Aaron’s ratings: Brian Murphy 8; Kieron Freeman 7; Christian Burgess 7; Adam Barton 8; Enda Stevens 7; Michael Doyle 6; Danny Hollands 7; Gareth Evans 7; Gary Roberts 7; Kal Naismith 6; Michael Smith 6