MISTAKES have been plentiful and costly for Hartlepool United of late. And, as long as they carry on making individual errors, they won’t be making any inroads on the National League play-off zone – or even the FA Trophy.

Pools’ first venture in non-league’s premier knockout competition – won by Darlington at Wembley in 2011 – takes place at Workington this afternoon.

But boss Craig Harrison accepts that the costly slips which have pegged his side back in recent weeks have to be eradicated.

Even goalkeeper Scott Loach – Pools’ most consistent performer this season – joined in last week as he was beaten four times at Dover, a result which left the travelling support furious as they turned their ire on the players.

“Last weekend we learn from it – we have to stop making mistakes, that’s the big thing,’’ said Harrison, who will be without captain Carl Magnay this afternoon after he was admitted to hospital on Monday suffering from fluid on the lung after a collision last weekend.

“Scott Loach put his hands up afterwards – he’s been our best player this season – and he’s made an early mistake which has cost us. He was honest enough to admit his mistake and we were two down soon after without a platform to build on.

“First goal kills us straight away. If there’s one person you wouldn’t expect to give one away is Scott, he’s been great so far.

“Looking back with a cool head, I feel the same as I did on the day. We had plenty of play without doing the right things in both boxes.

“Decisions were wrong, people picked the wrong choices for whatever reason.

“We have to stop mistakes, all four goals had an element of mistake in them. We have worked hard this week, Monday morning, Tuesday morning and afternoon, a double session Thursday. Repetition, repetition, repetition and working with units to see if we can eradicate them. We have had a long week already.’’

Pools have only won twice in ten games, one of those victories against a desperately poor Halifax side at Victoria Park.

After today’s game they have a busy programme with five games in 15 days to come, starting with Maidenhead visiting Victoria Park in seven days’ time.

“We want another game to get last week’s out of the way. We have to go and prove a point and show how disappointed we were,’’ insisted Harrison.

“We want a reaction in the next game, no matter what competition is it as you can’t switch on and off as to when you will perform as a footballer.

“There’s plenty of work done in training and we want to take it into Saturday.

“I want to win every game – a friendly, five-a-side, FA Cup, FA Trophy.

“We are expected to win this, we have all been in this situation and we have to accept it.

“Our application and performance is about us and how disappointed the players were last week, a chance to put it right.’’

Today’ opponents are fifth in the Evo-Stik Premier Division with nine home wins to their name this season and unbeaten in 13 games.

“I’ve not watched them myself, but had someone see them twice so we know about them and we prepare professionally. It’s about us and what we do after last week,’’ said Harrison.

“Hopefully we learn from mistakes and learn from training this week and react on Saturday.

“For them this is a big game, I can only control our side and what we are about. It’s about getting it all right and winning the game.’’