JOE FRYER was desperate for a crack at first team football and feels Hartlepool United’s fight to stay in the Football League can make a man out of him.

The 21-year-old had never kicked a ball in league football before moving from Teesside neighbours Middlesbrough on loan in January.

He had to bide his time initially and is now six matches into his first team career – and the grounding could not have been much tougher.

Hartlepool head to mid-table Cambridge United tonight looking to end a 13-match run without a win on the road.

The latest of those reversals arrived at Notts County on Saturday when, despite a Fryer penalty stop from former Newcastle striker Shola Ameobi’s effort, Pools suffered further woe on the road.

Chester-le-Street born Fryer said: "It's vital now, especially at my age, I'm 21 now, to be playing games. It's crucial to my development.

"It's been easy settling here at Hartlepool, they are a good set of lads. I had three games on the bench at first and then came in. When you are on the bench you have to be ready to play.”

Fryer was spotted as a teenager by Middlesbrough’s goalkeeper coach Stephen Pears at the time. He has had to wait for his chance since and is determined to make his career work.

His main short term aim is to turn in the performances between the posts to help Hartlepool stay up, knowing they sit just one place above the relegation zone albeit with a six point gap to Leyton Orient.

Fryer said: “I'm loving it, the lads have made me feel really welcome. I didn't get in the team at the start but I worked my way in and I'm settling in nicely.

"There is a bit of leeway at the bottom for us but we can't take our foot off the gas, we're a couple of wins above Leyton Orient but we have to keep going and get the results.”

To increase the chances of staying up they could do with ending the wait for an away win dating back to October 1 when they won at Grimsby. They have lost 11 and drawn two of their games away from the Northern Gas and Power Stadium since.

But Fryer, part of the team which won two in a row before losing at Meadow Lane, said: "We are definitely starting to see signs of improvement. What the gaffer is implementing is starting to stick. The performances have been there but it's been a case of turning them into results, it's starting to happen.

"The away form has been disappointing for us and the fans. We need the results for them and for us. We played well at Colchester I thought. We had a few good chances and one of their goals was a controversial penalty.”

Hartlepool boss Dave Jones will keep a close eye on the fitness of Bradley Walker and Matthew Bates before facing Cambridge. Walker had to miss out on Saturday because of a late fitness test on an ankle problem and he is closer to a return than Bates.

Walker and Fryer are part of a young Hartlepool squad gaining the experience of a relegation fight. The goalkeeper said: "The average age at the back is young but we have some old heads on young shoulders. Scott Harrison and Brad have a lot of games under their belts.

"I can shout at them because they are younger, but I’d still be the same if it was a Rob Jones or a Matthew Bates in front of me. We need to do what it takes to get the results to get us out of trouble."