Hartlepool United skipper Nicky Featherstone says sorry to fans for away form

The midfielder admitted that the team’s away form is “not good enough” following their eighth defeat on the road.

Saturday’s 4-0 drubbing at Mansfield saw Pools slip to 19th in the League Two table, just five points above the drop zone.

No team in the division has conceded more away from home than Pools and with a trip to another promotion contender to follow tomorrow night at Luton Town, things are looking bleak.

“We want to apologise to the fans,” Featherstone told SportMail.

“They travel a long way and spent a lot of money to support us.

“At the minute away from home it’s not good enough.

“We’d like to put things right for them.”

That won’t be easy tomorrow night at Kenilworth Road where they face a side in fourth place in the table.

“It’s a chance to put things right,” said Featherstone, who admits the form away from the Northern Gas & Power Stadium has left him baffled.

“We’re working hard on the training ground and preparing well for each game but, for whatever reason, we’re not delivering away from home at the minute.

“It’s very disappointing and it’s hard to put our finger on why.”

A sizeable number of the Pools travelling support of 331 left their seats at Field Mill on Saturday after sub Alex MacDonald made it 3-0.

And the total dwindled still further when Ben Whiteman made it 4-0 in the 76th minute with his second goal.

Whiteman had put Pools ahead in the 19th minute in front of the away fans who then had to witness a calamitous second, scored by Danny Rose.

Ironically, Pools could have taken the lead from a home mistake but Padraig Amond’s attempted lob drifted wide at 0-0.

“Goals change games,” said Featherstone.

“Podge had a chance and it doesn’t go in and then at the other end we don’t defend well enough in our box.

“If you don’t take your chances and then you defend like we have today then you will lose games.

“I can’t say the game was tight because we’ve come away and lost 4-0.

“It’s not good enough defensively and we are conceding a lot of goals on the road at the minute.”