Hartlepool United goalkeeper insists Pools still believe in play-off prospects after keeping top seven hopes alive with Eastleigh win
Hartlepool United goalkeeper Nick Hayes insists his side still believe they can gatecrash the National League play-off places following Saturday's 1-0 win over strugglers Eastleigh.
The 26-year-old kept his second successive clean sheet - and his fourth in 11 games since joining in January - as Pools closed the gap between themselves and the top seven thanks to an assured showing at Victoria Park.
With Southend United slipping up at Altrincham, Nicky Featherstone's side moved to within four points of the play-off places after Matty Daly's 30th minute strike secured Pools back-to-back victories.
"Keeping clean sheets is a habit I think I've had over the last few years of playing in this league," Hayes, who has reached the National League play-off final in each of the last two seasons, told BBC Radio Tees Sport.
"This season I haven't played anywhere near the amount of games I would have liked, I've had a good record of playing in the last couple of years and my clean sheet record has been half decent; now I'm really starting to rack them up in the limited amount of games I've had.
"If I can keep that habit and, as a team, we can keep that collective, then I think we'll really have a good, successful end to the season.
"I don't mind if the ball comes close to me, I'm here to help the lads out like they help me out when things do go wrong further up the pitch; we're all here to get each other out of a mess when it does happen and we're all doing that for each other now.
"I think we're starting to see that togetherness, we just need to carry on with it, keep winning games like we have been - although it's not been pretty - and I'm sure we'll have a good, successful end to the season.
"I don't care who's in front of me, we've got a good relationship all-round. I try to build that, I try to give confidence to the boys and keep them organised; I think we've built up a good relationship.
"I just want to keep winning, keep making saves and keeping clean sheets, keep having big moments like I have been - like all the lads have been. We're not exactly playing well, but we're winning games - so long may that continue.
"At this point in the season, from my experience, it's just a case of winning games, getting points and climbing up the table slowly but surely.
"We're the underdog, but the last couple of years I've managed to do the play-off run and I can feel it again; I don't want to speak too soon, but we're winning games when we're not playing well - and that is the sign of a good team, of a team that's on the up.
"I think togetherness is the big thing, having big characters and good lads together; personality almost counts for more than ability at times, we're lucky that we've got both in this team.
"The gap was seven, now it's four - as long as we keep doing our job, then that puts so much pressure on the other teams. Southend's game in hand is against us, so I'll be looking forward to that one.
"The fans have been excellent and if they keep backing us home and away, then it's going to make such a difference for us."