KEVIN Henderson is sure Hartlepool United's play-off hangover is almost cured.

For the third season in a row, Pool have started slowly - Saturday's point at Southend leaves them in an unattractive 21st place with five points from six games.

But the striker, who has just a single goal to his credit this season after bagging 19 last time, is convinced a charge up the table is on the cards after helping end a run of four successive League and Cup defeats.

If the performance at Scunthorpe the previous week could be hailed Pool's best of the season, then this display topped it.

And the Pool striker is quick to shoot down the doubters who have yet to be convinced of the merits of the Pool class of 2001.

"People will say to us that Tommy Miller's gone, which we can't hide. But they say the players have gone and that performances have gone, which is a load of rubbish,'' he insisted.

"There is no-one more disappointed with things than the players. To go 46 games last season like we did and come away with nothing is hard to take.

"We should have been celebrating last season but we weren't and when it has happened two seasons in a row you do start to ask questions and wonder why.

"But I think you can see from the last two performances that things are starting to pick up and we are heading in the right direction.

"The expectations have been so high and when we don't deliver everyone is disappointed. Playing 4-4-2 means we have been hitting more balls down the channels and we have been getting better service.''

Pool dominated from the off at Roots Hall, to the extent that they should have been in front with just seven seconds on the clock.

Henderson closed down keeper Darryl Flahaven and when his fluffed clearance found Ritchie Humphreys, the striker should have opened his account.

But instead he sidefooted over the gaping goal - and again that sums up how things are going in front of goal this season.

There were positive signs of a partnership between the pair on Saturday and Henderson said: "It was our best performance so far. We just need to start scoring goals.

"We are starting to get the chances, but the front two should be scoring. The positive thing is that we look solid at the back and as soon as we stop conceding daft goals we can start scoring and getting into winning positions.

"We are keeping the ball well and I thought the service to the strikers was a lot better as well. It is getting better with Ritchie, we have changed the system around and it's taking a little longer than people think.

"But he played well. He's been getting a bit of stick so far, but playing away from home there is a bit less pressure and you can relax a bit more. We are at home twice this week and I would love to see him getting one.''

Pool entertain Cheltenham tomorrow and Kidderminster on Saturday, giving them the perfect opportunity to build on Saturday's point and show that determination to charge up the Division Three table.

Boss Chris Turner completed the Great North Run yesterday, in under two hours, but it was his players doing all the running on Saturday as they took the game to their hosts.

Mark Tinkler was fired up for a return to his old club and his first chance came after seven minutes when a pack of defenders kept out his effort. Henderson volleyed over, Darrell Clarke hesitated and allowed a covering defender to block and after 20 minutes Pool had forced seven corners to Southend's none.

Tinkler shot wide from 20 yards, Humphreys's lack of confidence in front of goal maybe came to the fore when he failed to connect with a good volleying opportunity and Clarke blazed over the bar as Pool's dominance continued.

The only time Pool keeper Anthony Williams was called into action came when he back-pedalled to claw out a deft chip from Leon Johnson.

Williams had little to do, but counterpart Flahaven never stopped working. His best moments came when he denied Tinkler on two occasions. First, Tinkler took down a glorious Paul Stephenson pass and volleyed only for Flahaven to pick it out of the top corner, before Tinkler smashed a first-time strike at goal and the keeper dived one way and kept it out with his trailing leg.

* The Mill House Stand will be closed for tomorrow night's game. Admisson to the Town End Terrace is by ticket only and they must be bought in advance.

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