NICKY FEATHERSTONE admits Hartlepool United are suffering from a lack of confidence.

Pools collapsed to ship four goals at Burton, leaving them six points adrift at the bottom of the Football League.

Once again the conceded in quick succession to throw the game away.

Featherstone, signed by former boss Paul Murray, said: "I thought we were pretty comfortable until the 44th minute.

"A couple of mistakes - and a great finish - have cost us and we went from going in at half-time looking solid to going in trailing.

"Then to concede so soon after the break, it was always going to be tough against a top-four team.

"We'd spoken at half-time of staying in the game as long as we could and then counter attacking and getting a goal ourselves.

"Yet we conceded really quickly.

"Whether that is down to a lack of confidence or concentration, we have been doing it a lot recently - we have to stop doing that.’’

He added: "For whatever reason, since I have been here, the last six or seven weeks we have been pretty good in the majority of the first half performances.

"Then for some reason we seem to be losing games in the first ten to fifteen minutes of the second half and it makes it very difficult to get anything from games. First half we took a lot of positives from that and then we ended up going 1-0 down.

"I thought we deserved to be at least level.

"It is always tricky when you are chasing a game because then they can look to pick you off and we never really dealt with their front two.’’

Right back Michael Duckworth (groin) and midfielder Tommy Miller (calf) are close to a return and aim to be involved in the weekend’s home game with Oxford.