PAUL Stephenson asked for two things ahead of Saturday's managerial debut.

Hartlepool United's temporary boss wanted, on a personal note, to enjoy the occasion and for his side to give a performance that would be appreciated.

A goalless draw against a poor Rotherham team might be no cause for celebration, but Stephenson had both wishes granted on his managerial debut.

Too often this season - and especially of late - Pool's performances haven't either been appreciated or indeed deserved to be.

But, after a testing week for all concerned, there was none of the misery which surrounded the previous game against Blackpool.

The players came out to play with a smile on their faces and appeared much more relaxed from the off.

And the reaction from the 600 or so travelling fans - far more than there would have been at Millmoor if things hadn't changed at the club during the week - certainly showed the players and Stephenson have their full support.

That praise came despite the winless run being extended to ten games - Pool's worst sequence since the 1998-99 team went nine games before they won at the tenth attempt.

Then it was another four games, two wins, two losses, before Chris Turner arrived to save the club from the drop.

Martin Scott remains the first team manager today.

He is presently suspended from duties during a club investigation into events which followed the previous debacle.

If everything is to be believed - and one report yesterday penned by a close confidante of the former Pool boss said as much - then Turner is a manager in waiting.

He's been spotted in town more times in the last week than he was in the three years he managed the club - if hearsay and prattle are anything to go by.

But he wasn't at Millmoor on Saturday, instead choosing to watch a Championship game.

Gordon Strachan was there, however.

And, if some of the Turner rumours are anything to go by, expect the Celtic manager's name to be added to the list of possibles, never mind the fact he was merely catching up with son Gavin.

Strachan junior was missing after suffering a broken leg in a car crash of a tackle nine days ago.

In his place, Stephenson gave Stephen Turnbull a chance in the middle and he was at his niggly and biting best.

Perhaps it was no surprise to see either Turnbull or Michael Maidens in - Stephenson, is after all, their youth team coach and knows their games inside out - or Gerard Nash and Jon-Paul Pittman, two of Scott's recent loan signings, not involved in the 16 on duty.

Nash, after an awful performance last week, has returned to Ipswich for treatment on an injury. Perhaps confidence can be restored on the Portman Road treatment table.

The clean sheet - only Pool's fifth of the season and thanks to the efforts of Mark Tinkler and Ben Clark - was, Stephenson revealed, down to a bit of training ground spadework.

"The last two days in training we worked on defensive shape,'' he said.

"That's because, watching the game as youth team manager, I felt that too many balls went into their striker's feet and, with a man sent off, it was a difficult situation for us.

"I said to the lads that we needed to work on making sure we were solid and closing down.

"We had to be tight and we had two centre halves out there who usually play central midfield and if you look at their performances, I think it was something they can be proud of as individuals.''

Pool's defence totalled 996 Football League appearances. The midfield, at the opposite end of the spectrum, had 166 games under their belts, with Tony Sweeney taking up 94 of those.

But Stephenson wasn't worried pitching in with such a young middle four and said: "We had a back four who were experienced, but not that experienced in that position.

"In midfield we had four youngsters but I knew that what they missed in experience, they made up for in enthusiasm and legs.

"One or two of them didn't have the legs to last a full first-team game and I think it showed, but I was delighted with them.

"I've only seen home games this season and the defence after watching last week, was something I identified. It was hard for them against Blackpool because of the sending-off and going with three at the back, which is something the team hasn't done much of.''

Unfortunately, winning games is something else they haven't done much of this season. Eight from 31 isn't a happy tally.

But there was enough to suggest on Saturday at times that it can't be far away. Friday's home game with Chesterfield would be a decent way to start.

Maidens had two good chances early on, first he shot wide from an angle, before he fired over from an inviting position ten yards out.

Ritchie Humphreys swung over a deep cross which had keeper Neil Montgomery back-pedalling to push over the bar.

From the corner, Jon Daly's header was knocked off the line.

But then in the second half, it was The Millers who made most of the pressing.

Paul Shaw's header looped over Dimi Konstantopoulos and off the bar and Ben Clark hooked the ball away from danger.

Turnbull made the pass of the game, spraying the ball from right to left for Matty Robson. His cross was headed at goal by Antony Sweeney, but it was headed down into the ground and Montgomery tipped it over on the bounce.

From the corner, Sweeney headed on and Eifion Williams, in an identical position from where he scored at Port Vale this season, nodded wide as he stretched.

There was a big home shout for a penalty when Darren Williams went in on Jonathon Forte in the area, but claims were brushed aside.

Pool had suffered enough with penalties the week before without giving away another.

It's two games and two goalless draws between the sides this season.

Pool slipped a place to third bottom after Swindon's victory over Doncaster, but there was enough to suggest that, if a new era is about to start at Pool, there's more than enough to ensure safety.

"I think a point is a good result for us, without a doubt,'' reflected Stephenson. "After the week we have had, it's not only been tough for staff, it's been tough for players.

"I said during the week that sometimes in adversity things come good and we have certainly given ourselves a platform to build on.''

Result: Rotherham United 0, Hartlepool United 0.