Hartlepool United v Swindon Town: Pools need to take confidence from recent results ahead of relegation run-in

John Askey is hoping Hartlepool United can build on the confidence gained from their recent run of draws as they welcome Swindon Town to the Suit Direct Stadium.
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Hartlepool’s relegation run-in begins on home soil with just eight games left to overturn what is a five point deficit to either Colchester United or Crawley Town - the Reds joining Colchester on 37 points after drawing 1-1 with Grimsby Town in their final game in hand in midweek.

Crawley have both Hartlepool and Colchester to play in their run-in - Askey keen to remain in touch with the West Sussex side heading into their clash on April 22.

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But Pools have five games between now and that date, starting with another tricky fixture against Swindon.

Hartlepool United face Swindon Town to begin their relegation run-in. (Photo: Mark Fletcher | MI News)Hartlepool United face Swindon Town to begin their relegation run-in. (Photo: Mark Fletcher | MI News)
Hartlepool United face Swindon Town to begin their relegation run-in. (Photo: Mark Fletcher | MI News)

The Robins have hit a bump in the road in their play-off push having gone five games without a win but they represent something of a bogey team for Pools with their last defeat at the Suit Direct Stadium coming in 2005.

But after picking up results against teams in the top five of the division in recent weeks, Askey believes his side can take confidence that a win is coming.

“There's confidence because we’ve been playing teams who are in the top half. We played Bradford, Northampton and Leyton Orient and to get results against them, and we possibly should have won one or two, says a lot,” said Askey.

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“We’ve got to use it. We’ve got to take confidence from it. If you’re doing that against the league leaders then there’s no reason why we can’t do that against other clubs.

Hartlepool United drew with League Two leaders Leyton Orient. (Photo: Mark Fletcher | MI News)Hartlepool United drew with League Two leaders Leyton Orient. (Photo: Mark Fletcher | MI News)
Hartlepool United drew with League Two leaders Leyton Orient. (Photo: Mark Fletcher | MI News)
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“But we are where we are and there’s no getting away from that.

“We’ve just got to keep fighting and keep battling. Even if we play awful and win I’m not bothered and I don’t think anybody else is bothered.

“If we could get a win on Saturday we could maybe pull Colchester in, because they’ve played the same amount of games. But we’ve got to win games to put pressure on other teams.

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"There’s usually a team that drops and doesn’t win a game from now until the end of the season and that might be Colchester, that might be Crawley, hopefully it’s not us.”

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