Hartlepool United: Thomas getting better - and more to come

The attacker was sidelined after tearing a groin in the defeat at Barnet at the end of October and it’s no coincidence that Pools’ season fell apart in his absence.

Now back in the starting XI, Thomas will have a big role to play in the coming weeks and months.

His last minute goal to cap off a 4-0 win over Crewe on Tuesday was typical Thomas; bursting by a defender at pace and finishing with confidence.

More of the same will be required this afternoon as Pools take on Exeter City at The Northern Gas and Power Stadium.

And boss Dave Jones, who tried to sign then Sunderland academy prospect Thomas when he was boss at Sheffield Wednesday in 2013, is confident there is so much more to come.

Jones wants Thomas to become less of a free spirit and more of a cog in his Pools wheel.

“Nathan scored on Tuesday and I’ve not seen him before I got here and before his injury for a couple of years,’’ he said.

“He’s young, with a lot to learn and has to learn how to play within a team, he’s been allowed to do what he wants which doesn’t help the team or him. If he’s more structured in the way he plays and he believes in how he is playing then we will see a lot more from him – a lot more goals.

“We will put him in positions where he will get more openings and if he played off the cuff it only lasts so long, it gets picked up.

“If you want to play higher you need to be more structured in how you play – when to run, how to find the space and if you are just a loan shark it doesn’t happen.

“You need a team structure around you. He’s starting to get to grips with it and getting into positions and you can hear us on the sidelines letting them know where to do.

“Once that becomes natural for the players you will see a far better team.’’

Thomas has nine goals for the season and Jones added: “He’s got that swagger about him, but swagger when you lose isn’t any good. Nathan has known me from the past anyway so he knows he has to fit into the way we are playing.

“That little bit of exceptional play some players have – and he is one of them – means you can do something different within a team structure. You can’t do it all the time, but doing it every so often will give you the edge.’’

And Thomas isn’t the only one asked to change his game, with Jones and his coaching staff installing a new structure to the side and the way they play.

While the first-half on Tuesday was poor, it all came together in the second half, especially after a couple of half-time tactical tweaks from Jones.

Pools are seeking back to back home wins and make it five without defeat on home soil.

The Grecians are in the top seven, seeking a promotion spot and Jones said: “Once Tuesday finished it was about preparing for the next one. Once it’s gone, we analyse it and look again and then we are ready to show the lads with clips of what we could have done better.

“Preparation starts straight away and you can’t dwell on the past – move on and move on quick.

“Exeter are a tough side. Sometimes people get misled by positions – I felt Crewe played well first-half and sometimes we play like a higher team as we did at Colchester. Most of the time it’s reversed roles.

“Any team in this division can beat anyone. Sometimes you can flip the table around and it’s tough in any English division.

“We don’t expect anything but a tough one in any game. Tuesday was an example. Did we deserve the half-time lead? Yes because we did the dirty part which people don’t like doing and that gave us a platform

“It’s part of the process we go through every day, every day in training is structured.’’

Pools midfielder Nicky Deverdics is on loan at Dover and his month-long spell ends after today’s home game with Solihull.

Deverdics has impressed boss Chris Kinnear, who admitted: “His loan is up after Saturday but we want it to carry on.

“It is not up to us. If it was, we would love to have him until the end of the season but we are waiting to hear what (Hartlepool) want to do.”