IN reviewing Hartlepool United’s first half of the season, Leon McSweeney admits there’s a fairly simple verdict – could do better.

Consistency, or a lack of it, has been the problem for Pools and that goes from each half of a game and not just from week to week.

In struggling to turn their promise into points, Pools have been held back from genuinely progressing up the League One rankings.

Today’s game with Oldham, rearranged from Bank Holiday Monday when it was frozen off, gives Chris Turner’s side the chance to start 2010 on a positive note.

Pools beat Dave Penney’s side 3-0 at Boundary Park back in September, their second successive away win and their third game on the road without conceding a goal.

But since then away form has been patchy.

They lost their last outing at Leeds seven days ago and McSweeney admitted: “I think we approached the game in the right manner and took it to Leeds in front of a packed Elland Road.

“But I think the crowd influenced the referee on to their side.

“We take a lot of blame with the goals ourselves. I thought the goals on our part weren’t good enough really.

“We were definitely deflated but luckily we’ve got another game to put things right against an Oldham team who we’ve already battered 3-0.

“If we get the win at Victoria Park, things should be going upwards into the New Year.’’ Pools will be without four key players. Denis Behan (ankle), James Brown (knee), Sam Collins (suspension) and Gary Liddle (hamstring) are all sidelined.

That gives others a chance to impress and McSweeney said: “It is a small squad and unfortunately with the fixture list being very congested, we have to mix and match in certain positions.

“It could be a makeshift team we put out. But the lads are up to the challenge. We might have a small squad, but we have one full of quality.

“Hopefully the lads coming in will take their opportunity.

“In League One football, the quality of your front two determines the position of your team.

“You can have an ordinary team, but if you have two lads who are as sharp and clinical as Beckford and Becchio were on Saturday, it always gives you a chance.

“They never panicked when they were 1-0 down because they knew they had players who could produce that bit of magic and that proved to be the case.’’ Pools have developed a bad habit of failing to hold on to a lead of late. They took the lead at Elland Road last week before being sunk 3-1.

“Our season so far has been a case of a good 45 minutes followed by a poor 45 minutes or vice-versa,’’ said the rightwinger.

“We need to put together 90 minutes consistently and I don’t think we will have any problem troubling the top 10 teams.

“It’s just the way our season has gone. Hopefully we can learn from the lessons from these first few months before Christmas and build on them.

“Finishing in the top half is still the main aim of the season, particularly with the way the league is panning out – everyone is beating everyone.

“The likes of Leeds, Colchester that are up there are going to be fairly consistent.

“The rest of the places are up for grabs and I still believe the last play-off place could be anyone’s.

All you need to do is put a run together. As a squad, we have that ambition. We might not get there, but we’ll give it a hell of a crack.’’ Today’s opponents, managed by former Darlington duo Penney and Martin Gray, have also struggled for consistency this season.

With injuries taking hold, Penney yesterday signed Jim Goodwin from Huddersfield and Krisztian Timar from Plymouth.

Both will start this afternoon.

Referee Carl Boyeson will check the pitch at 9am before the Oldham team are due to set off. The playing surface has been covered for the last two nights and club officials were yesterday confident of the game going ahead.