JAMES Sharp is sure Hartlepool United are putting their indifferent spell behind them.

Pool have stuttered along this season and Saturday's single goal defeat a Scunthorpe means Chris Turner's side have only taken four points from five games this season.

But the signs at Glanford Park were that Pool's game is coming together and Sharp, crowned player of the year last season, is confident that the good times will soon return.

"We've done a lot of hard work in the last two weeks on the training ground,'' he said. "At Leyton Orient we didn't think we did justice to us or the fans; the workrate wasn't there.

"We missed a penalty and three, four or five chances. The disappointing thing is that you can't turn about and say it has been a special goal or a great goal that beat us - that's not the case.

"We battered them and we handled them OK.''

Sharp was part of the new-look back four employed by Turner and the rearguard looked comfortable, with full-backs Mark Robinson and Jon Bass impressive.

"Jon Bass didn't get as forward or support the wide men as he has been able to, but he and Robbo were magnificent. Peter Beagrie is their major threat, but he was kept quiet on the wing.

"Playing 4-4-2 is different for me. In a three we always have Micky Barron behind us to cover, but in a four you have to concentrate much harder and take the responsibility.''

Pool squandered a glorious chance to grab an equaliser, but Tommy Widdrington blazed his penalty wide.

Sharp said: "In the dressing room I've told Tommy to keep his head up, but he is the sort of player who will come back strong from it.

"It takes some responsibility from someone to take a penalty - you wouldn't catch me taking one - but you've got to hit the target, maybe he's tried to hit it harder than normal.''

l Norwegian Tim Sperrevik has been freed from his contract. The big striker joined Pool in August 2000 after impressing against Pool in a pre-season friendly while playing for Fana.

But he struggled to adapt to the English game and was loaned back to his former club during the close season. His contract expires next summer, but he asked to be released when he returned to Victoria Park last Friday.

"We are disappointed that things haven't worked out for him as well as we had hoped,'' said Turner. "Tim worked really hard when he was with us - it was a big step for him to move over here away from his roots, a brave decision on his part. He has decided that he sees his future in Bergen and we wish him well."

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