"I could feel myself going grey" - Hartlepool boss on York City clash

A brace from Mani Dieseruvwe put Hartlepool in control before Dipo Akinyemi clawed a late consolation goal back for the visiting York, with Phillips admitting that he felt the pressure in the closing minutes of the contest.

Hartlepool did hold on for their win, with Phillips gracefully confessing his pride for his newly-inherited side after only being appointed just nine days ago.

“Fair play to York, they are a good side and have got some good players, towards the end there I could feel myself going grey in the last five or six minutes,” Phillips told the Hartlepool media team.

“Everybody to a man, even the subs and I said to the subs before the game that they are going to be important today, I didn’t think we’d have to make one early.

“I’m absolutely delighted. I can’t stress how proud of them all I am.

“This is all new to me, but they’ve responded well and done well with what I’ve given them this week.

“It’s an unbelievable win. We will enjoy this win.”

Phillips also took the time to dish out individual praise directed towards his players, with the Hartlepool boss pleased to see his strikers being clinical and to have his defenders protecting their goal with their bodies.

“When you win a football match you are naturally delighted, but there are so many different components to how we’ve won today which has pleased me so much.

“Losing Fergie (David Ferguson, Hartlepool left-back) in the first 25 minutes and to put Manny (Onariase, Hartlepool centre-back) on who was disappointed to have not started a game, but what I liked about it was that he gave everything for the team and for the club, he wasn’t sulking and put in a real solid performance.

“Luke Waterfall has only been through the door for five minutes and he was awesome, Tom Parkes we had to shift to left-back and he was outstanding.

“I thought that we defended really well and put our bodies on the line, we took our chances which is what we didn’t do on Tuesday.”

KEVIN PHILLIPS almost buckled under the pressure of York City’s late push for an equaliser as Hartlepool United secured a 2-1 victory on Saturday.

A brace from Mani Dieseruvwe put Hartlepool in control before Dipo Akinyemi clawed a late consolation goal back for the visiting York, with Phillips admitting that he felt the pressure in the closing ten minutes of the contest.

Hartlepool did hold on for their win, with Phillips gracefully confessing his pride for his newly-inherited side after only being appointed just nine days ago.

“Fair play to York, they are a good side and have got some good players, towards the end there I could feel myself going grey in the last five or six minutes,” Phillips told the Hartlepool media team.

“Everybody to a man, even the subs and I said to the subs before the game that they are going to be important today, I didn’t think we’d have to make one early.

“I’m absolutely delighted. I can’t stress how proud of them all I am.

“This is all new to me, but they’ve responded well and done well with what I’ve given them this week.

“It’s an unbelievable win. We will enjoy this win.”

Phillips also took the time to dish out individual praise directed towards his players, with the Hartlepool boss pleased to see his strikers being clinical and to have his defenders protecting their goal with their bodies.

“When you win a football match you are naturally delighted, but there are so many different components to how we’ve won today which has pleased me so much.

“Losing Fergie (David Ferguson, Hartlepool left-back) in the first 25 minutes and to put Manny (Onariase, Hartlepool centre-back) on who was disappointed to have not started a game, but what I liked about it was that he gave everything for the team and for the club, he wasn’t sulking and put in a real solid performance.

“Luke Waterfall has only been through the door for five minutes and he was awesome, Tom Parkes we had to shift to left-back and he was outstanding.

“I thought that we defended really well and put our bodies on the line, we took our chances which is what we didn’t do on Tuesday.”