NEALE Cooper admits a change in formation and system could be on the cards to halt Hartlepool's away day misery.

Pool slumped to back-to-back defeats last week - at Brentford and Peterborough - to keep them pegged back in mid-table.

After enjoying ten away wins last season, seven defeats from eight games and 20 goals conceded makes sorry reading for Cooper.

"I feel sorry and want to apologise to our fans," he said. "They travelled down to another game in numbers and I really thought it would be our day.

"But at times Peterborough were the hungrier team, they moved the ball about quite well. We have to take a good look at ourselves.

"Maybe we need to think about the way we play away from home and change things around completely. We need to find that winning way - or even a point.''

He admitted: "Martin (Scott) and I have spoken about it and we might change things around so we can compete and have a presence, because at the moment we don't.

"Our passing of the ball wasn't good enough on Saturday and that's one of the main things we work on in training.

"It's so disappointing because we are giving away far too many goals away from home.''

From December onwards last season Pool suffered only three defeats in 12 away games.

Cooper admitted: "Last season we defended really well and played a high line up the pitch. We talked about it on Saturday, but we didn't pick up a cross coming into the box. Maybe it's becoming a mental thing for us away from home."

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