91Èȱ¬

Hartlepool United caretaker boss Micky Barron insists the players retain the belief to pull the team clear of relegation trouble in League One.

Pools are currently nine points adrift at the foot of the table after a run of 16 games without a victory.

"The mood is upbeat. They're determined to get out of the situation," Barron told 91Èȱ¬ Tees.

"No one is downbeat, they understand how well we've played and want to go out and win some games."

Barron took temporary charge following the departure of Neale Cooper as first-team coach last month but has been unable to halt the slide.

His first match in charge saw Pools take a point from Brentford, but three consecutive defeats including a 6-1 reverse in the FA Cup at Chesterfield and Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Yeovil have left Barron puzzled.

"I can't ask any more from them from a football or a work-rate or effort point of view," he added.

"The last two games they've done that, there's been a good reaction from a horrible defeat [against Chesterfield] but we still haven't got any points.

"It was better but we need points."