JAKE CARROLL is more than happy to become Hartlepool United’s wing wonder – provided it can help find a solution to a run of three straight defeats in League Two.

After an impressive start to the campaign which saw Pools defeat Morecambe, York and Newport County, Ronnie Moore’s side have since lost games against Stevenage, Carlisle and Wycombe.

It is a frustrating run of results for Hartlepool at a time when confidence is high that they can avoid a repeat of the troubles of last season when they struggled at the wrong end of the division.

To have nine points on the board already is a real bonus for a group of players which has had a team of new arrivals during the summer and time is still needed for them to gel.

Carroll, who moved as a free agent after leaving Huddersfield, said: "Confidence is a big thing in football. At the start of the season when we were winning games you don't think you will ever lose.

"Now you feel like winning games is a struggle at the moment. We just need another win soon and to be more solid.

"Even to come away with a draw away from home isn't a bad result. But we can't keep losing games like this.”

Carroll, who had looked comfortable and attack minded at full-back in the opening few games, found himself asked to play as a left-winger at Wycombe – and he has no problems with that.

He said: “It was very disappointing when you have to get on a bus for four or five hours after a defeat – and that was what we had to do after Wycombe.

"We are looking to put that right next week at Exeter. I'm just happy to be on the pitch and putting a shift in for the lads.

"Naturally I am a left-back, and I do like to get forward. In pre-season we were 3-5-2 and I was wing-back and tended to get forward a lot and got some goals.

"I should have scored in the first half and in the future will look to be scoring if I get into those positions.”

Moore is looking to further strengthen the Hartlepool squad when the loan window for Football League signings opens tomorrow.