Hartlepool United will turn their focus towards Saturday’s home game with Eastleigh following their weekend win at Truro City.

Hartlepool United have been challenged to take the momentum from their hard-earned win at Truro City into next weekend’s home clash against Eastleigh.

Nicky Featherstone’s men secured maximum reward from their 900-mile round trip to the South Coast as Charlie Caton’s second-half strike secured a narrow win against the National League’s basement club. Pools’ focus is at the other end of the table as their win over the Tinners has left them five points adrift of the play-off places and there will have to be a sustained improvement in form if they are to break into the top seven between now and the end of the season and keep alive their hopes of returning to the EFL.

Pools push for the play-off places has been hampered by their inability to piece together a consistent run of form throughout the season and that has been proven by a run of four wins, four defeats and two draws in their last 10 National League fixtures. However, Saturday’s win against Truro could and should provide the platform for an improved run with a winnable home game against an Eastleigh side sitting in the bottom seven of the division quickly followed by a visit to relegation threatened Morecambe over the next week.

Assistant manager Gary Liddle admitted the inconsistent form shown throughout the season had been ‘quite frustrating at times’ - but remains confident the momentum gained by the win against the Tinners can be the start of a run of form that can inspire a serious challenge for the play-off spots.

He told the club website: “We’ve said that many times over recent weeks and I hope it’s not going to be a mixed end to the season. From past form and recent form, I’m sure it’s going to be quite inconsistent at times and quite frustrating at times. It’s one of those where we just have to go in and hopefully take momentum. I know we haven’t won by a large margin today but we can certainly take confidence from it. To come away like this and for the lads to put the commitment in being away from home and away from families they have. We prepared unbelievably well in terms of training and match preparation, that hasn’t changed just because we are 450 miles away, but for us to go into a home game, which on paper is quite winnable, as they all are in this league, it certainly gives us good momentum off the back of a good result.”

Your next Hartlepool United read: Charlie Caton the hero as Hartlepool United beat Truro City 1-0