JON STEAD and Notts County are proving a nemesis for Craig Hignett. Already Pools have met Notts three times since Hignett’s appointment in February, and lost three times with Stead scoring three times.

The former Sunderland striker was a handful on Saturday, scoring and twice hitting the frame of the goal.

And Matthew Bates admitted: “Stead is someone I’ve played against a lot before and he knows there the goal is and he’s a big lad. We knew what we would come up against and he took his goal well.

He added: “We’ve had two good results and performances away from home and it was set up for two home games to come. After going one-up you hope to see it out and it wasn’t to be.

“I can’t sit here and complain about the loss as I don’t think we were that great. I’ve got to be honest and say we possibly didn’t deserve to win it, maybe a draw would have been fair, but we go again on Monday for next weekend and aim to beat Newport.’’

Bates went close to a spectacular – and unlikely goal – when he motored forward with the ball and, on taking a pass from Billy Paynter, swept a fine shot against the inside of the post.

After one goal in 60 previous Football League games for Pools, he admitted: “I like to step out with the ball from the back and it was a great ball in from Billy. I caught it well, too well probably, and I was off celebrating as I thought it was in.

“Two-nil up might have killed the game off slightly.

“Fine margins in this league make the difference – it hits the inside of the post and stays out, if it goes in we are two goals up at half time and there’s a different outlook and we could have held on for the win.

“Second-half and they looked a different team, they grew in confidence, and we let them get back in it.

“Instead of us being confident and looking like we were going to score again we let them back into it and gave them a lift.’’

Right-back Carl Magnay is facing a spell on the sidelines after suffering a suspected cracked rib on Saturday.