Hartlepool United manager challenges Pools to play with more freedom ahead of visit of play-off rivals Halifax Town
Hartlepool United manager Nicky Featherstone has challenged his side to play with more freedom ahead of Saturday's visit of Halifax Town.
Having slipped up in the race for the top seven after losing to relegation-threatened Sutton United on Tuesday night, Pools have the chance to get back on track against one of their direct rivals for a National League play-off place.
Victory would see Pools leapfrog Halifax, who are currently two points clear of Featherstone's side having played a game more, and could even lift them above Southend United, depending on how the Shrimpers fare against promotion-chasing Carlisle United.
Defeat, however, would leave Pools with a mountain to climb in the race for the play-offs having lost ground following their ill-timed slip-up against Sutton in midweek.
"It (Tuesday night) was frustrating, but it's where we are," Featherstone told BBC Radio Tees Sport.
"Anyone who thinks we're going to go on mad runs of five or six wins on the bounce is miles away from the reality of the situation.
"What this group of players have done is given themselves a chance going into the last part of the season, which should be a positive and should reflect well on the lads; it hasn't had that feel recently, even though the lads have put themselves into a really good position.
"We're going to have setbacks, we're going to have good performances - that's what we are as a team right now, so don't expect us to go on massive winning runs.
"We are trying, and what we have done is given ourselves a chance going into the last 11 games of the season. What we've done in our time here with this group of players is given ourselves an outside chance.
"We're giving everything we can to get there, and what better way to get back on the horse than against a team that's directly in competition with us? They're slightly above us, but we've got a game in hand on them.
"If we can bounce back and get a good result, we're all of a sudden in a really good place again.
"This game should take care of itself. My message to the players is to be positive, I want to see them express themselves and be front-footed; if we're going to lose games between now and the end of the season, which we will do, then I want us to lose in the right way in terms of giving everything and playing with freedom.
"We've put ourselves in a great position - we haven't been in this position for a very long time, so to be here now, we've given ourselves a great chance. Just free up and give it the best shot possible; whatever happens, happens."