By Charlie Summerbell
January 16 2013

Hartlepool United have found better form on their travels, amazingly unbeaten in their last two away games. All they have to do now is halt their horrendous run of home defeats.

But with two home games in the next few days, if they are to achieve that they are going to need help … from the fans.

This week’s snow has left a covering on the Victoria Park pitch, and on some of the terraces, and while that means the pitch is protected from the worst of the frost, the stands need to be cleared for safety reasons.

With town temperatures below freezing even during the day, the chances of Saturday’s home game with Colchester going ahead look dim, allowing for the fact that a decision will need to be made on Friday to allow for the long journey the visitors need to make from an area of the country which appears to be even worse hit than the North East.

The prospects for Tuesday night’s home game against Bournemouth are up in the air.

Colchester have lost their last nine matches, so Pools are desperate for that game to go ahead against a team whose confidence could even be lower than their own. That win at Sheffield United and last weekend’s draw at Shrewsbury will have done the squad no end of good, and boos John Hughes is keen they cash in.

Pools have lost their last six games at the Vic and he told the Northern Echo: “We need to get that momentum and spirit going at home and we need to get the supporters going at home so we are applauded off the field.

“It’s not been doom and gloom, but winning a couple of home games can give us momentum.

“My frustration is that we beat ourselves. Did Preston beat us (on January 1)? No we beat ourselves with a free header at the far post and we just about beat ourselves in the last ten minutes on Saturday at Shrewsbury by sitting back.

“We’ve got four points from two away games and we spoke earlier about consistency in performance – maybe we are getting somewhere.

“Maybe it’s the team shape that suits us right now, but I do want to play a lot more football. Right at this moment we are fighting for our lives.”

Hughes has tried to strengthen his squad, but suffered a blow when Bore-o’s Hartlepool-born Matty Dolan chose to sign on loan for Yeovil … a bit further away from where he lives in the town than the Vic is, but money talks.

Hughes added: “We are looking to improve the squad and our options. There has to be something happening and we are working hard behind the scenes to bring in the right character, which is so important.’’

So is pride, and with relegation still a certainty despite that away improvement, Pools do have that to play for … if the weather allows these two home games to go ahead.