Club legend discusses Hartlepool United's festive fixtures and play-off hopes

After Pools passed up the chance to climb into the top seven for the first time since September following last weekend's goalless draw with strugglers Braintree, Nicky Featherstone's side now turn their attention to difficult games against Scunthorpe and Rochdale.

Other than two humiliating cup defeats, Pools have made significant progress under Featherstone, winning four, drawing four and losing one of their nine league games to re-energise their faltering play-off hopes.

Having worked so hard to give themselves a fighting chance of gatecrashing the top seven, however, there are fears Pools' recent hard-won momentum could be beginning to stall following a run of three games without a victory.

Given their league position - seventh-placed Southend, who are two points clear of Pools, have two games in hand while Scunthorpe, who are sixth, have opened up a nine-point gap to Featherstone's side - Pools can ill-afford too many more slip-ups as they head into the second half of the season.

Indeed, a poor run of results over the festive period could see Pools' play-off hopes, which are already hanging by a thread, all-but extinguished.

Yet the reverse is also true and a return to winning ways would see Pools really lay down a marker in terms of their play-off credentials ahead of the new year.

Standing in their way are a Scunthorpe side who have enjoyed a remarkable campaign so far having won promotion from the National League North via the play-offs last term as well as league leaders Rochdale, who have won 16 of their 20 games this season and have hugely popular former Pools frontman Mani Dieseruvwe leading their line.

Before Pools can spend too much time thinking about how to keep Dieseruvwe quiet in Greater Manchester on December 30, Featherstone's side will have to figure out a way to get past Scunthorpe, who are the visitors to Victoria Park on Boxing Day.

If Pools are serious about maintaining a play-off push, then one thing is immediately clear - their home form simply has to improve.

Indeed, Pools have won just four of their National League matches at Victoria Park so far this term and there is a growing feeling that Featherstone's side are not at all well-suited to playing at home.

There would not be a better time to assuage some of those concerns than on Boxing Day, with a win for Pools having the potential to move them back within striking distance of Scunthorpe.

One man who knows all about what it takes to achieve success with Pools is the legendary Barron, who made 374 appearances at Victoria Park and twice won promotion with the club.

And with Pools preparing for a potentially pivotal run of games in the race for the play-offs, Barron has backed Featherstone's side to have a successful festive period while also calling for new additions to the squad if they're to finish the campaign in the top seven.

"I think Christmas time's always difficult whoever you're playing," Barron said.

"The two fixtures they've got are going to be tough but there's no reason why they can't get points in both games.

"I think they're going to have to perform to their maximum, they're going to have to play really well for 90 minutes in both games.

"It might be that they get two wins and that really gives the squad and Nicky (Featherstone) the confidence to kick on and really mount that play-off challenge.

"I've watched some of the teams who are expected to be near the top in this league, and I'll be honest they're bang average.

"I think Pools need a couple more players in and they need to start winning some games against the decent teams who are in and around them, especially at home.

"I don't see why they can't be in and around it by the end of the season."

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