Keith Curle hails Ben Killip reaction after shoot-out win

Posted Wednesday, November 16, 2022 by PA

Keith Curle was full of praise for goalkeeper Ben Killip after his Hartlepool side found a way through to the second round of the FA Cup.

Pools were second best against National League Solihull Moors and needed an inspired show from their number one to keep them in contention.

After forcing extra time with a late leveller, Pools won 4-2 to earn a second-round home tie with Harrogate Town.

Killip was in the spotlight at the weekend when his error gifted Stevenage a winning goal but Curle said: “We needed the goalkeeper to do well for us. Ben was very good tonight.

“He made a mistake on Saturday and I don’t like players saying sorry – it’s too easy. But you want a reaction and I got it. He showed tonight his importance.

“He got carried away and wanted to take a penalty!”

Reghan Tumilty’s 88th-minute goal cancelled out Ryan Barnett’s early opener and Curle added: “We made a slow start and I was angry and frustrated with the players for it.

“We looked a yard short and we spoke at half-time to highlight what we had. We shuffled the pack and looked better for it – only half a yard short.

“We needed a spark and we didn’t have it, we all played safe. We weren’t sharp or gambling.

“We spoke about it before the game and we had to reinforce the message – the pleasing thing as a coach was the reaction we got.

“We need to be competitive and take the positives from the second half tonight, which was better, but we are a work in progress.”

Moors chief Neal Ardley bemoaned his side’s profligacy and said: “It’s a sickener – their keeper was in inspired form. Our strikers are working hard but not being clinical right now.

“You can go through, not just one player, it was chances, chances, chances all going begging.

“They had three half-chances, scored one, we had 12-15 chances and scored one. It’s always the danger when it’s just one and even their goal has come from nothing.

“It’s the way it’s going right now, even when we are playing well it’s not happening. We had chance after chance after chance and just haven’t taken them.

“We have players playing through injury in a tough schedule, but that’s where we are.

“It’s about getting people back and then being able to put a performance in. We try and recover well and get ready for the weekend.”