KEITH Curle has described Hartlepool United’s goalless draw with Gillingham in League Two as a good starting point in his reign as interim boss.

Despite a late surge in the second half as Pools took the game to the visitors in the final 20 minutes, Curle’s side could not find the breakthrough to end their 19 match winless that stretches to last season.

There were a number of chances towards the end of the game that Pools were unable to convert. They kept the ball out of the net today but at the other end of the pitch, Curle is confident he can unearth some composure within his squad. “That will come” he said.

“I’ve walked into a football club that haven’t been gaining results, been conceding goals and haven’t been scoring enough goals.

“So I think what am I going to address first and foremost. Can we get solid as a team? Can we be difficult to beat and be difficult to compete against? So a clean sheet, good starting point and I’ll take it everyday. Then you can build.”

While Curle sees the result as a platform to build on, it does see them drop to the foot of the table having not won in the league at all this season. But the unconcerned interim boss declared: “I don’t look at the league table. It doesn’t have any bearing on my mindset. We’ve earned a good point today. It could and should have been three but lets hope next week that it is three.”

Wes McDonald provided plenty of threat for the home side and had a chance cleared off the line in the first half having beat three players to carve out a shot on the edge of the box.

The winger’s attacking intent was there for all to see as the Pools boss continued: “Where he does his work is in the final third because defenders get nervous. What Wes doesn’t want is to receive the ball on the halfway line because defenders will take chunks out of him. Put him on the edge of their box and they can’t touch him. He’s got great feet, good balance and that explosiveness. He showed it more so in the second half.

“The pleasing thing was that from the side of the pitch, we finished on the front foot. I’ve watched a couple of games back and there was a readiness to try and contain. We wanted to win today and that’s pleasing.”

They return to action next Friday in League Two when they make the trip to Field Mill to take on Mansfield for an evening kick-off.