Southend United 1

Hartlepool United 0

THERE’S some gulf and distance between Chelsea and Hartlepool United. From the top of the Premier League to the bottom of League Two, but there’s a lot more to it than that.

Chelsea have something Pools don’t – not even money can buy it - and Paul Murray is demanding it from his players.

After the Blues won at Crystal Palace last month, Jose Mourinho said victory came about because his side had courage – big balls as he put it.

Following defeat at Southend, Murray’s mantra was the same. He wants players with balls; footballers with the courage to want possession and do something with it.

He had balls as a midfielder, never hiding, getting the football and trying to keep it.

Too many of his players shied away from it at Roots Hall and he didn’t like seeing it

“Pass, move and... show some balls really. Get on it more, them something will happen and players who want to get a grip of the ball will stand out,’’ he reflected.

“You’ve got to have big balls out there for sure. It’s a high-pressure situation.

“We have the quality in there, I know because I’ve seen it. Too many today didn’t show that quality. They weren’t wanting that pass, it was more leaving someone with the ball.

“We can’t be like that .At the bottom you have to show those balls and courage. You have to want possession and it’s disappointing we didn’t show it.’’

Against a team out of sorts at home, Murray felt this was an opportunity for his players to get on top.

It was a committed display from both sides, Southend especially firm and tough defensively, not giving Charlie Wyke a chance to get on top.

And while Southend had 22 attempts at goal, in the first-half Pools had good openings themselves.

Nicky Featherstone drove forward from midfield and cut back onto his right foot. His low shot almost caught out keeper Dan Bentley, who had to get down and save smartly.

Then Jon Franks came in from the flank and fired over from 20 yards.

But the warning signs were there at the start of the second-half.

Scott Flinders made a good stop to keep out a raking Michael Timlin drive and the loose ball was dealt with by Neil Austin, then David Worrall fired over.

Featherstone had possession in midfield, but didn’t have any options with the ball. No-one was showing the balls to want it. He was robbed, Southend broke away, Worrall latched onto the ball and fired in.

As Murray pointed out, there was still some distance for the midfielder to charge forward before getting to within shooting distance so why wasn’t he halted?

“The goal was very disappointing. Nicky gave it away, but it was a long way up the pitch and we have to organise ourselves better in situations like that,’’ he reflected.

Pools had three good openings soon after the goal to level, but Wyke, Bradley Walker and then Franks couldn’t make the most of their openings.

Murray felt Pools could have avoided defeat, and even could have won it at 0-0 as he shifted to a 4-4-2 and introduced new striker Scott Fenwick.

With three signings made since his appointment, Murray needs to be allowed to add to his squad further. They need some extra quality to the squad if they are to get out of their situation and it’s up to the chairman and owners to back their manager.

Fenwick didn’t – like Wyke - get much joy from the home defence, but Murray was pleased with the former Dunston forward, who was booked for reaction to a hefty challenge.

He said: “They had the rub of the green, we don’t get that. Scott (Fenwick) came on and did well and put himself about, we need a bit of that as well. I don’t mind seeing my players getting aggressive when they have to.

“Scott held it up a couple of times and he has to learn the game and be on the front foot, not let the defender come through him.

“He’s got to learn to be a professional footballer and all that comes with it. We will work with him and see what comes from it.

“We have a week without a game, and it gives us a chance to work hard on the training ground and look at some issues from today. There’s some positive parts in there, but second half we had to receive the ball, want the ball and work the ball better.’’