TIME and games are fast running out for Hartlepool United. And with it so is their Football League future.

Bottom of the table, unable to shake off the mailaise of the opening weeks and months of the season under Colin Cooper, held back by the short-term appointment of Paul Murray, Pools are unable to claw back the deficit.

They are seven points short of safety, but add in their pitiful goal difference, and the task is harder still.

Today they go to Bury, seven days after producing a performance of an embarrassing standard at home to Stevenge.

That was supposed to be a platform to safety, coming on the back of a fine win over Northampton.

Instead, they flopped.

"Stevenage was a set-back for us, without doubt,’’ said boss Ronnie Moore. "I didn't expect to see that type of performance, especially at home, because I though we had turned the corner.

"So to put in such a lacklustre performance in such a massive game for us was disappointing for everybody.

"I know why it happened, I think our players have got complacent and we are not good enough to be complacent.

"We have to set our stall out and play at a high tempo.

"If we do that then we will win more than we lose but that tempo was lacking.

"The players have to light the blue torch paper and get the crowd going because once they do that, there is a terrific atmosphere at Victoria Park.

"I have spent all week drilling that into them and saying how important it is.’’

And tellingly, Moore added: "Manager's speak about having 14 or 15 cup finals and it is the same for us - sooner or later we are going to run out of games.

"We have to make sure we go to Bury and not go gung-ho and attacking and lose by five or six but play at a tempo and be professional in our approach to the game.

"Show no fear - we have not won away since I have been here.

"It is a difficult place to go. We haven't created too much away from home, it is just tiny little margins, being organised and having the players to play the system we want to play.

"We need to go away and enjoy it, pass it. We have had some great performances away from home and should have had wins out of them, Tranmere away was the prime example.

"If we can do that away from home we will be okay but we have to start moving quickly.’’

While other teams at the bottom regularly pick up points, Pools’ returns are far more sporadic.

They’ve two away wins all season, the last under caretaker boss Sam Collins at Exeter in October following Cooper’s exit.

It doesn’t take much for confidence to take a dive in a game and Moore added: “We have been inconsistent all season and we were going for our fourth home win on the trot, we are getting there but we need to stay in games.

"Bury have some fantastic players and are a threat up front, going forward in wide areas.

"It will be a big tester for our back four and hopefully our keeper and back four have a good game.

"We have to start causing them some problems, we are not creating enough but we have to start believing and getting our wingers in games.

"The first goal could be crucial, we gain that confidence from the first goal.

"When we go 1-0 down we get the wobbles but we have some steadying influences in the side now, with David Mirfin at the back.

"The big thing is not to play with any fear.’’