AFTER an all-night haul up the M1 in the early hours of Wednesday morning, Hartlepool United’s players embark on another motorway marathon today.

Following their game at Charlton on Tuesday night, Pools today head off for Bristol.

It means this week, in a season in which they will complete over 10,000 miles on the road, Chris Turner’s squad will have travelled almost 1,100 miles.

“I got home on Wednesday morning and into my bed at quarter to six,’’ said defender Gary Liddle. “I got up about 11.30, but some of them were still feeling a bit tired in training today. We had a bit of a loosener on the training ground to get ready for Bristol.

“Now it’s another long journey to look forward to…I’m a DVD man on the bus, sit and watch DVDs and listen to my music to try and make the journey go as quickly as possible.

“At least after the game on Saturday night we will be setting off a lot earlier than the other night and should be back by midnight.

“It’s a long trip again and, still a late one, still a bad one.’’ Pools last visit to the Memorial Stadium was one to forget.

They slumped to a 4-1 loss on the final day of last season, going two goals down after four minutes and staying in League One by the skin of their teeth.

Eight months down the line and Liddle, speaking yesterday at the launch of Pools’ new all-black away kit which goes on sale next week, admitted: “Last season at Bristol we were very disappointing and this game, you could say about revenge, but that was a long day for us last season, a lot of pressure was on our shoulders.

“It was very nervous for everyone concerned with the football club and we just managed to stay up. Now we need a better result and we want to prove we are a better team.

“The last few results haven’t gone for us, but it’s games like this we need to get some points, especially with the run of games we have to come.

“We knew January and February was going to be a tough time and we know the fixtures after then are a bit kinder to us.

“We take it game by game and go there to Bristol to win the game.’’ Pools lost at Charlton, and they also lost the game previous as well.

But Tuesday’s performance was much improved on the 5-0 thumping by MK Dons last weekend.

“I’ve been here four years now and I have to say that was the worst team performance I’ve seen in a long, long time,’’ reflected Liddle.

“Everyone around the club was disappointed with the display.

“We were just as upset as the fans.

“Tuesday went some way to proving something and we went out with a different formation and went out there to be tight and work hard, which is something we probably didn’t do against MK Dons. We showed passion and spirit and we played far better.’’