League Two play-off places still the aim for Hartlepool United - Craig Hignett

Hartlepool United boss Craig Hignett says the club still hold high ambitions, despite their difficult start to the campaign.
Pools boss Craig Hignett was left frustrated after the defeat.Pools boss Craig Hignett was left frustrated after the defeat.
Pools boss Craig Hignett was left frustrated after the defeat.

And the gaffer is refusing to rule out a League Two play-off push in the second half of the season.

“Play-offs are still a possibility for us,” he said.

“It has to be an aim to have something to play for.

“If things go our way then why not? Teams have gone on winning runs and jumped up the table into contention – Wycombe and Colchester have both done it.

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“It’s not beyond the realms of possibility but there’s other factors to take into consideration. I want us to push close and have something to play for.”

The last thing the manager wants is a repeat to the back end of last season, where, having avoided the battle at the foot of the table, Pools players took their foot off the gas.

“There’s nothing worse than what happened at the end of last season where we had nothing to play for,” said Hignett.

“We couldn’t go higher and couldn’t go lower and the season ended disappointingly.

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“It was a dead end to the season, we stopped and the lads were on holiday and in holiday mode.

“I want to keep things going in a positive manner to the end of the season.

“Let’s keep going and see where it takes us.”

Having picked up a positive draw at Accrington and appearing to have turned the corner in recent weeks, Pools boss Hignett wants his players to keep the feel-good factor going against Grimsby.

Although, he knows his team won’t have it easy.

He said: “We have steadied the ship a bit.

I think the character that we showed at Accrington will stand us in good stead.

“Performances in general have improved.

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“But we played well down at there place. They will want revenge for that.

“The league is like that though. You can’t say what you are going to get from one week to the next.

“Teams at the bottom can beat teams at the top.”