DARREN Williams admits Hartlepool United are enjoying their mini-break with a smile on their faces.

Pool won at Bristol City last weekend and don't play again until they visit Nottingham Forest a week on Saturday after this weekend's game with Gillingham was postponed.

The victory at Ashton Gate was only Pool's third of the season, but Williams admits it came at exactly the right time.

"There's no game this weekend, so it was vital to go into the little break on a high,'' he said. "To win at Bristol City gives us plenty of confidence.

"The last thing we wanted was to go into the two weeks with a little cloud hanging over us, thinking 'Oh God, we've two more weeks before we play again'. Now we can't wait for the next game.

"We can enjoy this spell, train really hard and enjoy it with a bit of pressure off our shoulders.''

With skipper Micky Barron returning from injury this week with an outing for the reserves, Pool's sick list is slowly clearing up.

Joel Porter and Adam Boyd remain long-term injury victims and Williams admitted: "I've never known a team to have as many injuries to key players as we have.

"I think at Sunderland there was a time we were badly hit, but nothing at all like this.

"We are getting through it and it's given plenty of players a chance and when the injured players come back it's up to them to prove they are good enough to get in the side.

"We are getting stronger by the week with players returning and the young lads who have come in have all done a good job.

"There's no looking over our shoulder at the bottom, we are looking up.

"There's only a quarter of the season gone and the table is tight, there's no reason why we cannot get up there.

"We went to Blackpool and Doncaster and won them both and didn't make the most of it. Now, after winning at Bristol City, we have to make sure we don't let it slip.

"Confidence is a big thing and we have taken plenty of it from the last two games - that can only help us go on to bigger and better things.''

Meanwhile, midfielder Gavin Strachan will today complete his one-month loan move to Stockport County. He will make his debut in Saturday's game with Orient and boss Chris Turner said: "He's got experience at a much higher level, he scores goals from set-plays and knows how to put his foot in."

* Nottingham Forest have confirmed they are keen to extend goalkeeper Russell Hoult's loan spell at the City Ground. Forest have gone five matches unbeaten in League One since Hoult's arrival on a month's loan from West Brom but his current spell is due to end after the Pool match.

* Swansea insist there have been no enquiries about highly-rated striker Lee Trundle. Recent reports suggested Sheffield Wednesday had a bid of around £475,000 for Trundle turned down.

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