MANAGER Kelvin Davis insisted his Eastleigh side did not do enough to test 10-man Hartlepool as they laboured to a 0-0 draw on Saturday. 

Hartlepool secured a hard-fought point after the early dismissal of defender Daniel Dodds on 15 minutes.

Pools full-back Dodds was shown a straight red card for his reckless sliding challenge on Eastleigh defender Jake Vokins.

Home goalkeeper Brad Young pulled off a superb save to keep out Vokins’ far-post header before half-time.

After the break, Hartlepool defender Tom Parkes made a superb block to deny Niall Maher from grabbing a winner.

Pools went close to snatching all three points in the closing stages when defender Luke Charman’s stinging close-range effort was superbly saved by visiting goalkeeper Joe McDonnell.

Eastleigh are now without a win in nine games across all competitions, their last victory came against Rochdale on September 21.

Speaking after his side's latest draw, Davis said: "We didn't work the goalkeeper enough. Joe made two fantastic saves. 

"We are in one of those places that happen during the season that we are not quite ticking and flowing as we would like.

"Sometimes you've got to accept that and dig in and grind away. We've got experienced players on the pitch with fantastic goal records.

"Unfortunately, we couldn't get them in the right place and at least get some opportunities at their end.

"We know the game changes when it goes to 10 men. We know it becomes a different game.

"The anxiety came from our side when we were trying to make good decisions and get ourselves in the area of the pitch to deliver good balls.

"We rushed it and that happens because you've got the extra men, you've got the extra time. The opportunity comes too easy sometimes.

"We found ourselves in crossing positions numerous times and didn't deliver the ball, probably because it came to quite easy at times.

"It's a lack of concentration at the back and we know they've got dangerous players and we know they've got opportunities to get behind us.

"They did and showed a couple of their attacking opportunities and Joe stood up to it. The balance of the game is about right but the disappointment for me is that we didn't work the goal.

"If the game is 11 vs 11, I think that the anxiety in our own heads doesn't come into play. We play our game. 

"We play our way and we make better decisions because there's probably a little bit more balance in the game. 

Youngster Connor Underhill entered in the second half to make his National League debut having scored in their Servio Men’s Senior Cup defeat to Tadley Calleva during the week.

"Connor's been with us for a couple of weeks now," Davis explained when asked about the youngster's league debut. 

"He delivered a young, energetic performance that we wanted. He injected a bit of something different to us when he came on.

"He knows how we play, he knows what we want, he knows what to expect from our attacking eights and he got himself in a couple of good positions.

"Not only with the ball but also without it, defensively down the way for us. We are pleased for him.

"Mostly to come through as a young lad at the club and to get his debut up here, we're really pleased for him."

Eastleigh welcome Wealdstone to the Silverlake Stadium on Saturday as they look to put an end to their poor run of form.

"The game's come quick and I feel that today's put us in good shape, not just on the pitch but off it as well," Davis concluded.

"We can use this week to improve on a few more things and focus on what we want to get better at, but also there's an opportunity there for the lads that have not been involved to show us what they can do in training and we'll see what we go with for next weekend."