MATTHEW Bates revealed Hartlepool United skipper Liam Noble was involved in a half-time altercation on Saturday.

The club’s midfielder was seen on the Super 6 Stadium pitch being controlled and spoken to by the club’s goalkeeping coach Ross Turnbull, after he was allegedly on the receiving end of an unsavoury incident.

It was claimed that Eastleigh goalkeeper Graham Stack attacked Noble from behind with a headbutt as the players headed for the dressing rooms at the interval.

A melee followed, with Noble being taken away from the situation after he was shook up by events.

Bates was loathe to go into detail about the situation, but said: “I didn’t see it, but I know people who did see it. Something has gone on, I don’t want to say any more. I don’t think it should be in football, coming especially from an experienced one.

“Liam was shook up and upset, I don’t mind saying it. Did it affect us? I don’t know.

“I don’t mind teams coming here to unsettle us fairly, but when it goes that far – it doesn’t belong in football.’’

At the final whistle, referee Leigh Doughty instructed Stack to be kept out of the tunnel until all the players had been through it and into the dressing rooms. But visiting boss Andy Hessenthaler inflamed the situation by demanding his keeper was allowed through with the rest of his team-mates.

Four stewards were positioned outside the dressing rooms as the players left the ground.

Stack twice denied Noble a goal on Saturday, but there was no sign of any ill-feeling between the pair during the game.

Referee Doughty will include events in his report to the FA and it remains to be seen if any action will follow, although he did not see any of the events which sparked the tunnel melee.

Pools, meanwhile, will issue a further statement this week about the future of their relationship with BLK, who have been supplying their strip and training wear since the start of last season.

The club last week announced it had suspended their relationship with the Stockton-based manufacturers.

Pools won’t be changing their strip this season, which was launched before the new campaign and on Twitter before Saturday’s game they said: “Rest assured that we won't be changing the kit this season - we wouldn't do that to you.’’