NEILL Byrne has breezed his way into the Hartlepool United side and barely looked back this season. That was his hope in the summer when the centre-half decided to make the switch from non-league Halifax Town.

Byrne was snatched up by former boss Dave Challinor in the summer who he played under at AFC Fylde. But despite his departure back in October, he still leads the charts in appearances and minutes for Pools on the pitch. An aerial presence, comfortable on the ball and strong at the back, he’s been in the team from the get go.

Considering he is one of the new boys this season, has that added any extra pressure?

"Not from anyone else apart from myself” Byrne replied.

“I think when you come into a team, one with the momentum they had and winning the play-offs last year, you want to show your team mates, the fans and the people around that club that you can step up to the level. That you are good enough to partake in that team and good enough for the league.

"I think that's the thing for anybody. Anyone wants to show their team mates that they are good enough. The last thing you want to do is come in and you're not playing, you're having a sticky patch.

"I just wanted to come in and prove myself personally but also prove myself to the lads to say 'listen I'm here, I feel I'm good enough and I'll show you'.”

Someone of Byrne’s height and aerial presence has been partial to a few goals over the course of his career. But the defender was refreshingly honest about failing to open his account for Pools.

"I don't know what it is” the 28-year-old jokes.

“Feaths (Nicky Featherstone) gives it out to me every game. I should have had a couple.

"It's on me. It's on no one else. The deliveries are good, I just haven't found myself in the right place at the right time unfortunately.

"I did score but it was offside. Then I scored an own goal. I'm hoping at some stage I need to start chipping in with some goals.”

Does he usually set himself a goals target at the start of the season?

"Not a target but as a defender you should really be getting five goals.” - Fair enough.

When Pools sealed their dramatic promotion in the summer, the club was tasked with building a squad capable of consolidating their position within the football league and establishing itself as an EFL side.

As aforementioned by the Irish defender, Byrne’s goal was to come to the team and prove himself to the squad. But the challenge he, along with the majority of the squad, faced was making the step up and playing at the required level to stay up.

Byrne said: "I felt in a couple of games the intensity, instead of being in short bursts, it would last.

"I feel that sometimes in the National League you have it for fifteen or twenty minutes and then you have a couple of minutes off. For certain games, it might not be up there but I feel like in League Two, every game, the intensity of the games, is up there.

"You've got some very good players in that league. It's hard to say whether it's a massive jump but it is a jump. There is definitely a difference.”

As things stand, Pools are 17th in the League Two table and nine points above the dropzone. But a run of results could easily send them into the top half of the table. The trouble is, league form has been hard to come by with just one win in their last ten games.

Tonight, they have an important trip to Carlisle United. With the Cumbrian side just a couple of points below them in the table, Pools will be well aware of the dangers of being dragged into the mire of a relegation scrap.

Meanwhile, Pools have been hit with a double departure on the eve of the game.

Midfielder Matty Daly has been recalled early by his parent club Huddersfield.

He was the clubs top scorer in all competitions with seven goals after joining the club in August on a season long loan.

Mike Fondop will leave Pools after they decided against extending his contract. The 28-year-old made eight appearances since signing in the summer but failed to score a goal.