'˜Hartlepool United won't go hiding' - Craig Harrison backs Pools to turn their season around

Ryan Donaldson is one of several Pools players injured at the moment. Picture by GARETH WILLIAMS/ AHPIX

Pools head into the weekend game with Maidenhead United looking to stem their recent slide, which has seen them lose four games on the bounce, three of which have come in the National League.

And Harrison knows his squad will not cower away from the challenge at hand. Instead, he’s backed them to come out fighting at Victoria Park this weekend.

“There’s no hiding place,” said Harrison.

“No one is trying to duck things, nor will they this weekend.

“The situation is what it is. And all we can do is dust ourselves down and go again.

“Everyone at the club has been honest about the situation, no one is trying to pull the wool over the eyes.

“We had a really good week’s training last week but obviously didn’t get the result at the weekend, and we will have a good week of training again.”

Ahead of the clash injuries are not helping Harrison’s cause.

Week by week the number of players in the treatment room increases, with Harrison already without Ryan Donaldson, Nicky Featherstone, Luke George, Michael Ledger, James Thorne, Keith Watson and Kenton Richardson.

“The squad is looking thin, that’s the reality,” said the manager ahead of the weekend.

“We had 10 players unavailable to train one day this week.

“Hopefully we can get one or two back but we won’t know until later in the week what the situation is with that.”

Harrison oozes positivity, and even in Pools current plight the manager is refusing to let injuries and results get him or his squad down.

He knows his side could be just a win away from turning the fifth tier corner.

“It’s fine margins,” he said.

“Don’t get me wrong, we should be higher in the table than what we are, and we should have more points.

“But you are only one win away from going on another run and that’s the way we have to look at it, starting this weekend.”

Meanwhile, tickets for the Boxing Day trip to Gateshead have gone on general sale.

Tickets must be purchased in advance. Pay at the gate is not available.

They can be purchased from the Victoria Park ticket office or on the club website.

Prices range from £15 for adults to just £3 for children.