Hartlepool United manager Simon Grayson vows to do "whatever we can" as Pools prepare to begin FA Cup campaign at Gainsborough Trinity
Hartlepool United manager Simon Grayson is determined to get back to winning ways when Pools travel to Gainsborough Trinity in the FA Cup fourth qualifying round this weekend.
Pools might well feel as though the chance to begin their FA Cup campaign represents a welcome break from the National League following a miserable run of just one win in 10 games that's seen them slide out of the play-off places and down to 12th. On the other hand, Grayson will be well aware that his side can ill-afford a slip up against Northern Premier League Premier Division side Gainsborough Trinity on Saturday when Pools make the trip to Lincolnshire. Certainly, this weekend's opponents promise to provide Pools with a stern examination having started the new season well; Trinity are fourth in the league and have won nine of their last 10 games in all competitions. For their part, Pools will make the trip to the Northolme in the midst of a slump that bears a striking resemblance to last season, when a strong start under Darren Sarll was undone due to a lack of potency in front of goal. This time around, too, Pools started well, amassing 10 points from the first 12 available, but struggles in front of goal - Grayson's side have found the net a measly 13 times in their first 14 matches, while Mani Dieseruvwe, who left Victoria Park over the summer, has scored nine goals in 11 games for Rochdale - are threatening to prove their undoing. Indeed, Alex Reid, signed as Dieseruvwe's direct replacement having scored 17 goals in 32 games for Wealdstone last season, has failed to find the net in any of his last seven outings and has missed the last two matches through injury, while Danny Johnson is still waiting for his first Pools goal having drawn a blank in each of his first 14 appearances. Perhaps Saturday's game could be the perfect chance for new man Vadaine Oliver, who has been working towards full fitness having missed most of pre-season but has scored in back-to-back home games, to make his first start in blue and white. Whatever the case, Pools simply have to return to winning ways as they look to reach the first round proper of the FA Cup for the first time in three years. Of course, Grayson will surely be aware of the fate that befell Darren Sarll, who was sacked the morning after Pools were dumped out of England's oldest and most famous cup competition last season. While Grayson might not be under anywhere near the same level of pressure Sarll was heading into Saturday's cup clash, any more bad results could give an increasingly precarious situation an altogether less favourable perspective.
"The vibes have been good, the players have been positive too, I'm positive still," Grayson told the official Pools club website.
"It's about doing whatever we can to break this momentum that we're going through at the moment. If we were having these results at the moment that we've been having and we weren't creating chances, we weren't playing well, I wasn't seeing a spirit or a togetherness or a desire to win matches, then I'd certainly be concerned. I'm not happy because we're not winning matches, but there's a lot of positives still to be had in terms of where we are at this moment in time, even in adversity.
"We want to win on Saturday, that's the bottom line. We want to carry on the performances and win in a really positive manner if we can. If it means scrapping a 1-0 win then we'll take that because we want to break this cycle of where we are at this moment in time. We'll do whatever we can, the preparation will be about not underestimating the opposition, we've probably worked even harder because we don't know as much about the opponents as we do about the National League teams. We've worked extremely hard, we've concentrated a lot on what we need to do in certain areas of the pitch and hopefully that all comes to fruition at the weekend.
"Regardless of what competition we're involved in, we want to win the next match - that's the most important thing. Of course, it's the FA Cup and it's a fantastic competition; I've been a part of it as an underdog and as a favourite. We know we're going to Gainsborough, a team that are in decent nick at this moment in time, I know Russ Wilcox (manager) really well. They'll be looking to cause and upset and we've got to be right on the pitch and off the pitch, which I'm sure we will be."