NEIL Austin has welcomed a free weekend as Hartlepool United try to recover from a disappointing week.

Pools won at Scunthorpe almost two weeks ago and went into back to back home games confident of securing a healthy return to get into the play-off mix.

Instead they suffered consecutive home losses to Yeovil and Preston North End.

Those reverses mean Pools have now lost seven in a row at Victoria Park, with confidence affected.

“There were a lot of heads to the floor in the changing room on Tuesday,’’ admitted Austin.

“Everyone was down in the dumps in the little bit and I think this rest at the weekend might do us good.

“I thought we played pretty well to be fair, the best we have played at home for a while.

“We passed it around and created a lot of good chances I thought which we had to take. If you don’t score you aren’t going to win.’’ He added: “Everyone was buzzing after the Scunthorpe game and saying we had two good home games to look forward to – Yeovil and Preston at home, two teams that are struggling.

“People were looking at it and saying six points or, at the minimum, four points. Zero points is very disappointing but, like I say, we are still positive so we will kick on.

“I think the run does play on your mind a little bit. I think some players might handle it better than others but we have just got to believe in each other and believe in ourselves as well.”

He added: “I think we fizzled out a bit in the end and got a little bit panicky and went long ball – there were a few positives things.

“We just aren’t keeping clean sheets or scoring and you don’t stand a chance of that’s happening.

“Whereas away I think teams attack us more and we defend quite well.

“But at home I think we feel the need to attack more and we maybe might be a little bit open.’’