Hartlepool United defender on the demands of the Christmas schedule

Hartlepool are looking to end a difficult run of form to close out the year and propel themselves back into the National League play-off picture after a below par first half of the campaign.

Pools dropped into the bottom half of the league table following the defeat to Chesterfield and now face an uphill battle if they are to force their way back into contention during the second half of the season. John Askey’s side could give themselves a major boost, however, if they were to enjoy a strong Christmas period with three games in seven days to close out the year.

The busy schedule is set to test and stretch Askey’s squad – a squad which has already been hammered by several significant injuries during the first part of the season. But mainstay defender Onariase believes it is a period in the season where Pools must learn to adapt, with the number of games providing a big opportunity to help turn their campaign around.

“The Christmas period is tough,” said the defender who signed from Dagenham & Redbridge in the summer.

"When you have so many games in such quick succession you don’t train as hard in the week. When you’re Saturday to Saturday you have two or three hard training days where you’re really going at it, but when you’re playing every three days it’s a day off, or you’re back in to recover with a light session and then you’re playing again so you don’t train the same, the preparation isn’t as detailed. You don’t have that period of time to prepare for each game, but we just have to adapt.

“In football that’s just how it is. You get situations where players get injured or new players come and there’s an opportunity for somebody else, that’s how the game goes.

“When you lose a game, as a player, you always want to play the next game as soon as possible. So imagine having three games in a short period of time. It’s a chance of getting nine points which will move you up a lot in this table, so we’re looking forward to it.”