Caretaker manager Antony Sweeney discusses Hartlepool United's key strengths ahead of Notts County trip

When asked what strengths his side are showing ahead of the match, Sweeney said: “I think we're starting to find that balance of attacking and being a real threat going forward without losing that defensive structure.

“I think sometimes this season when we've been quite solid, we haven't got the bodies in the box, we haven't got the attacking threat and we've relied on breakaways and maybe set plays too much.

“We want to start taking the game to the other teams for longer periods.

“I'm hoping that the Barnet game is that start of that but it has to be backed up consistently, we'll soon see on Saturday.”

Pools are yet to concede under Sweeney and he believes that confidence is high in his back line and stressed that keeping clean sheets is a team effort.

“Ben [Killip’s] confidence will be sky high with the three clean sheets as a goalkeeper because that's what he’ll be judged on,” he added.

“He can't keep clean sheets without the players in front of him and also the back four needs the forwards and midfielders to do their work.

“Even the two wide players that were in the team to attack, they’ve done their fair share and without that you can’t keep clean sheets and you can’t get the results, it’s a team thing.”