Hartlepool United prepare for crucial home double as ex-Kilmarnock defender insists 'we can definitely stay up'

Pools welcome league leaders Leyton Orient before another fixture at the Suit Direct Stadium against Swindon Town.

Hartlepool have improved, in terms of their performances, in recent weeks with John Askey guiding his side to four successive draws.

But defender Euan Murray, who has been a surprise returnee in Askey's side, admits Pools need to find a way of getting over the line in games to turn those draws into wins.

“It feels like the win is coming but it’s alright talking about it. We’ve got to go out and do it,” said Murray.

“I think there’s been a marked improvement in performances and particularly the way we’re playing and actually looking like we’re carrying a bit of a threat and being able to get up the park because we’re sustaining attacks.

“But we just need to get over the line, it’s as simple as that. How that happens, none of us really care.”

And Hartlepool will get two opportunities at home with Murray acknowledging the importance of the next two games being at the Suit Direct Stadium.

“They’ll be massive for us. I think the manager has already touched on it in terms of what we need to make our home ground,” he said.

“Your home form is so important in any league in terms of climbing the table or if you’re challenging. We know what we need to do, it’s up to the players and staff.

“It’s a cliche but you just need to take care of games when they come. It’s probably not the answer you want to hear.

“We know we’ve got a good backing and we’ve got fans who turn up in their numbers every week. If you give them enough they get behind you.

“We just need to go into the game and be positive.

“There’s so many positives that we can take [from the draw with Bradford City] and we can build on, and just having that little bit of a spring in your step going into training knowing that, alright we need to start picking up wins, but there’s enough encouragement there to say we can definitely stay up.”

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