MICHAEL WOODS admits the confidence is coming back to the Hartlepool United squad.

Pools have suffered a miserable season to date and lost their manager nine days ago – but they turned in their most fluent display of the campaign to win at Exeter on Saturday to move off the foot of the table.

Their third win of the campaign was a deserved one, coming after Woods volleyed Pools in front in the second half – his first goal since scoring for Yeovil In April 2012.

"There has been a lift of confidence and some believe has come back,’’ he reflected.

"We have been unlucky at times but conceding twos and threes in a short space of time and the games were being put to bed.

"We were never really giving ourselves a chance.

"Sam Collins said we had to be hard to beat in the first instance but I think we were the better team in the first 10 to 15 minutes.

"We hit the bar and then they had a spell, as you'd expect from a home team.

"But we were difficult to break down and looked a threat going forward."

Woods has been entrusted with a role playing off the front man, a position which suits his game and he added: "Sam's philosophy is to try and play attacking football.

"With the young lads and the legs up top we will always create.

"Chaz is brilliant, he can mix it up, go in behind or he can come short to feet.

"He has been a man mountain for us in the last few games.

"Hopefully we can keep everyone fit and look to go again."