Pools Facing A Crisis Of Confidence Admits Bates

The Pools lost 2-1 to strugglers Dover Athletic, their fifth defeat in a row in the National League.

The result leaves them mid-table, six points adrift of the play-off places but Bates insists the club won't give up.

"We started slowly and looked sluggish - the two goals in the first half were poor from a defensive point of view," he told the club's official video service.

“The lads are in there as disappointed as we are as a staff, there is a lack of confidence at the moment and we have to try and find a way to bring that back.

“We’ve got a game on Tuesday so we will rest tonight and tomorrow but then we’ll be back in working on Monday because we need to sort this form out.

“It’s not going out way at the moment but that’s part of football and part of being a manager and I have to stand up to that and the players have to stand up to it and that’s what we intend to do.

“Fair play to all the fans who travelled; I know they will be as disappointed as we are but we’ll keep on fighting because we all want the best for the football club.”