MICHAEL WOODS admits Hartlepool United needed a bit more substance to go with their style.

Pools lost at Oxford at the weekend, going down 2-0 despite dominating possession and enjoying the majority of the play.

But they failed to make many inroads in the final third, and, with two games to go, Woods hopes his side can get back to firing on the front foot after scoring five at Morecambe, and three at both Orient and Barnet of late.

"I don't know how it looked for people watching but for us, we felt comfortable in possession,’’ he reflected. "It’s just that little final decision, that final pass to get us in.

"We can't keep relying on the same individuals [for goals] we all have to keep trying to chip in all over the park.

"There are positives to take but I don't want us to be a side that comes off saying 'unlucky'.

"Personally I thought we played some nice stuff, we just weren't clinical enough in that last third.

"It's worked well, it's a formation that suits us.

"It's the sort of football and style I've been brought up on and it's the same for Nicky Featherstone and Lewis Hawkins. The gaffer's asked us to do it and we're enjoying it.’’

Pools, meanwhile, have appointed Stuart Parnaby, the former Middlesbrough defender whose career ended through injury last year, as the club’s pre/rehabilitation conditioning coach.

He will work alongside fitness coach Craig Hubbard and physio Ian Gallagher.

Parnaby made just five appearances for Pools after joining in June 2014, but has been a regular around the club’s training ground throughout this season, working alongside the squad on a voluntary basis.

“I’m passionate about this and I love being involved in it – if I didn’t then I wouldn’t have been working voluntarily this season,” Parnaby said.

“I have years of my own experience and hopefully I can help any injured lads go the right way about rehabilitation – Buster (physio Ian Gallagher) had it pretty much nailed-on but I like to think I can bring a few of my own ideas, from being at clubs like Middlesbrough and Birmingham.

“From being a player you have a lot more understanding of what lads want and need, and at what times. I am still learning obviously and it’s been a quick transfer from player to staff member but Buster has been unbelievable with me and taken me under his wing a lot.

“It all came about really from being injured here and wanting to have as much input as possible in to my own rehabilitation; Buster let me do that, alongside his guidance, of course.’’

He added: “During last summer I was training and started to do some of the warm-up sessions with the other players and got involved in stuff with three or four of the injured lads.

“These days being a footballer isn’t just a job for the season – the players are athletes and it’s an all-year round thing. You can have a couple of weeks off in the summer but then you have to get yourself right because pre-season is a different thing nowadays.

“You have to be ready from day one so I will try and get my ideas across about how professional you need to be – just because we’re in League Two doesn’t mean the players can’t train and look after themselves like Premier League players.”