RICHARD Money is finding out about his Hartlepool United squad by the day. And, amid a frantic ending as Pools lost at Gateshead, he offered a word of caution.

Supporters, punch drunk by years of failure, demand an instant uplift under their new manager; it may take time.

Money, who is allowing loan signings Marcus Dinanga and Tyrone O’Neill to return to their parent clubs, spoke of an 18-month project at the club, not writing this season off, but always with one eye on a proper assault on promotion next time out.

“We cannot be clouded by the result,’’ he said. “To come away to your local rivals and lose is not what you want.

“It is more than trying to get the best out of what we have - we need to develop a philosophy and a style of playing. I had not seen much evidence of that thus far.

“A lot of what we saw today was the way we want to play. The result clouds things for people and it is my job as a manager to look beyond that.

If you take two goals out of it, we have shaded the first half. In the second half it is one way traffic.’’

Liam Noble put away a penalty on 87 minutes and then still had time to miss from 12 yards in injury time.

The manager added: “If we had scored earlier I think we would have won the game. If we walk off the pitch at 2-2 we are disappointed with the draw.

“I want to tell the supporters I am not mad - if there is something needs said I will say it. I saw quite a lot of what I liked.’’

Pools lined up with Carl Magnay as a holding midfielder, sitting in front of a back four and behind a midfield four.

Niko Muir was up front alone and he had a thankless task.

Magnay’s last game in that position came in 2016, when Ronnie Moore’s stint as manager came to an end and he openly admitted that role was not for him.

Now at the start of another new reign at the club as Richard Money takes charge, he was there again.

The Heed’s loan striker Luke Armstrong beat Andrew Davies in the area and his header flew high over the bar.

Next time he was in on goal, he made no mistake.

There was a touch of handball as he took possession, but referee Andrew Miller was having none of it.

When the Middlesbrough loan striker got into the area, he took aim and fired an angled shot at goal. Scott Loach seemed to misjudge his dive as it bounced in front and under the goalkeeper.

Tails up, the Heed were full of energy and desire.

A free-kick was headed out by Lewis Hawkins, back in the side after being recalled from a loan spell at York City.

It fell for Robbie Tinkler 35 yards out. He took a touch to get the ball down, took aim and rasped a fine drive which beat Loach and crashed back off the underside of the crossbar.

His dad John, the former Pools midfielder from the 1991 promotion squad, would have been proud.

Pools were trying to get the ball to Ryan Donaldson, playing wide left, but was kept in check by a mix of Tinkler and Mike Williamson, the former Newcastle centre-half.

The Heed doubled their lead on 32 minutes, and from a Pools corner. Liam Noble’s set-piece was headed out, and Mark Kitching tried to put it back in the area.

Tinkler took possession, sprayed a crossfield ball for Luke Molyneux to chase down right-back Kenton Richardson.

The Pools defender lost out, and when the ball was crossed into the area it deflected into the path of Armstrong who had an empty net to knock in.

Pools almost got one back quickly, Donaldson the creator as Muir’s close-range finish clipped the crossbar.

The loose ball was collected by Hawkins but he was unable to get the ball under control.

It was a thankless task for Muir, up front alone against three centre-halves with little or no support.

Five minutes into the second half. Luke James was introduced, replacing Hawkins. It appeared that Money had seen enough of Hawkins, after 50 minutes of ineffective football on his return from York City.

James offered some sharp movement on the right and Connor Newton shifting into central midfield brought a better balance.

Newton got into the area, but his shot was charged down. The home defensive unit was compact and organised, tough to break down.

A Noble free-kick found Magnay in the area, but his header looped into the hands of keeper Aynsley Pears.

Signed on loan from Boro, Pears got down well to smother James when the striker turned in the area and got a shot away.

Pools pressed, pushing the home side back. With 15 minutes go to, they were in the ascendency for the first time.

James tried his luck from distance, his low shot pushed wide by the keeper.

Muir was crunched by Tom White in midfield, the home player sent off by referee Andrew Miller with seven minutes go to.

It signalled a finale which no-one could have anticipated.

James was running constantly at the home defenders out wide, giving the midfield an option which was lacking for so long.

He latched onto Noble’s slide-rule pass in the area, got a touch and keeper Pears wiped him out.

Noble stepped up, sent Pears the wrong way and Pools were back in it.

As a Noble corner pinballed around the area, James went down, Pools appealed and referee Miller gave Pools another spot kick.

Noble stepped up, sent Pears the wrong way, but this time the ball touched the outside of the post. Noble was distraught, needing two Pools players to pick him up.

Richardson then swung a cross over from the right, it diverted past Pears onto the crossbar and to safety.

As bad Pools were for an hour, they were good for the last half hour. Maybe Money might just have something to work with.