TOMMY Widdrington insists the Third Division holds no fears for Hartlepool United.

Pool entertain Halifax at Victoria Park tonight looking for their third League win in a row after victories over Hull and Exeter lifted Chris Turner's side off the foot of the table.

And despite bowing out of the FA Cup at Swindon on Saturday, Widdrington insisted: "We created a great number of chances against a team supposedly better than us and in a higher division. And although we lost the lads can hold their heads up high.

"But this division is amazing. We beat Exeter and moved up to 13th then dropped to 15th - it's very, very close. We've got two games this week and if we can get six points from them we could be right up there.

"We had a sticky start, but no- one is promoted in November. We will keep working hard and carry on doing the right things that have given us a lift in the last few weeks.

"I feel we should beat everyone at home. When we can beat a team like Hull 4-0, it shows what we are capable of. When we put the effort in and work hard like that it shows what we can do.''

And Widdrington, who is winning over the fans after he was criticised in the early stages of the season following his free transfer from Port Vale, paid tribute to the Pool fans at Swindon.

He said: "The fans were magnificent, there was plenty of them. I think Saturday was the loudest I have heard them this season - and we were beaten 3-1.

"We've seen an improvement in the last six weeks and now we need to carry it on against Halifax.

"There was an air of confidence - maybe it was a touch of arrogance - that we could have taken Swindon on Saturday or at least got them back to our place. Instead, there's a double disappointment as we are out of the cup as well.

Defender Gordon Simms will miss out tonight after suffering severe brusing to a foot on Saturday. An X-ray showed no damage, but he is likely to be absent from Friday's trip to Swansea.

James Sharp, back from a three-game suspension, returns to the squad, although Turner is likely to stick with Graeme Lee in defence, with Chris Westwood continuing at left-back.

Pool, meanwhile, look like missing out on striking target Derek Holmes.

The Ross County striker is on loan at Bournemouth and Pool are keen to offer him a permanent deal.

But with the Second Division side raking in £20,000 from their FA Cup win over Worksop on Saturday, they now have the funds to push through a move.

Pool: Williams, Bass, Barron, Lee, Westwood, Clarke, Tinkler, Widdrington, Smith, Watson, Humphreys. Subs (from): Hollund, Lormer, Sharp, Robinson, Boyd, Easter, Arnison.

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