MICHAEL DUCKWORTH’S season ended on a high point, but the Hartlepool United defender admits it was a struggle for the majority of it.

The right-back scored what looks like being Pool’s goal of the season on the final day, netting the second strike as Pools came back from 3-0 down to draw 3-3 at Carlisle.

That came a week after wild celebrations marked the club’s survival from the threat of relegation.

Dropping out of the Football League looked a certainly for the majority of the campaign before the amazing turnaround in fortunes.

And Duckworth, under contract for next season after Pools boss Ronnie Moore exercised the option on his current deal, is confident of a brighter and more enjoyable campaign next time around.

"I am going to kick back, chill out and now have a rest – it’s has been a long season this one,’’ he reflected.

"We have to build on the momentum we have gained at the end of the season. It has been a physically and mentally tiring season, if we hadn't had those four wins and a draw in five games in March we would have been down.

"The lads all stuck together, and thankfully the bottom two teams were still losing each week - someone was looking out for us.

"This year was very intense.’’

He added: "Last year we were comfortable at Christmas and then let it slip and went on a downward spiral.

"This year has been far more intense, we were bottom for most of the year and knew we weren't going to get out of it easily.

"We had to dig in and the lads, in the end have done well.

"You have to have these experiences to build on, the threat of relegation out of the Football League isn't something you want to keep happening.

"We need to build on this now, we know we can stay up in this league.

"Now we have to look the other way and we will bring some bright players in and do alright.’’

Moore is targeting up to nine signings this summer and has been working at Victoria Park over the last two weeks to set deals up.

His chances of landing former loanee Ryan Bird are slim despite his release from Cambridge because of his wage demands, but the Pools boss is hoping Rakish Bingham will move from Mansfield after a bright month on loan last season.

Marvin Morgan, another loanee, has been freed by Plymouth, but Moore won’t have him back. Midfielder Matty Dolan is available from Bradford and will be of interest to his hometown club.

Moore has made contract offers, on reduced terms, to Scott Flinders, Matthew Bates, Neil Austin and Jon Franks but isn’t giving the four long to decide and wants a quick answer.

Moore took over in December with Pools rooted to the bottom of the table. He was the club’s fourth boss after Colin Cooper and Paul Murray failed and Sam Collins twice took temporary charge.

"It has been chopped and changed this season with the new managers,’’ said Duckworth. "We handled it well though, the gaffer is great. He is old school, some have liked and others have disliked.

"But at the end of the day, he is our gaffer and what he says goes.

"Something then clicked and we went on a little run.

"That helped us out massively and it will be good to see next year what we are like.

"We are targeting Wycombe, there is no reason why we can't.

"They didn’t have much of a budget this year but have done well and hopefully we can see a similar upturn next year.’’