THERE'S no danger of Paul Stephenson feeling the pressure of Hartlepool United's relegation battle.

Since his temporary appointment in early February, Stephenson has lifted everyone's spirits at Victoria Park.

And, after Friday's draw pushed his side out of the bottom four, Pool go to Swindon for Saturday's vital game in confident mood.

"I really cannot fault them in terms of effort, luck is all we need,'' said Stephenson. "We have to stay positive and if we keep playing like we did last Friday we will stay in this division.

"Let's keep winning the second balls, keep putting pressure on and we will get the rewards.

"I am enjoying it, I really am. It's great experience for me. I cannot ask for any more from the players and everyone can see what they are doing for me, which is giving their all.

"Yes, we are at the bottom end of the table, but we are positive. In the previous 11 games we had seven points, now we have had 11 in nine and everyone knows recently we should have had more.''

He added: "I know these players are good players, I work with them every day. Yes, we were disappointed not to win the other night, but we will take a point.

"It lifted us above that line and that is what matters."

And Stephenson had words of praise for his central midfielders.

Lee Bullock and Stephen Turnbull have been a regular pair under Stephenson, playing the last seven games together.

Bullock put Pool in front against Oldham last Friday and they have linked up well together.

The temporary boss knows all about Turnbull after his starred in his youth side in recent seasons and he said: "I thought Bullock and Turnbull have been superb and Stephen epitomised everything about us in the last minute last week.

"He chased back and jumped into a tackle right at the death when he should have been cream crackered.

"But he jumped in and won the ball and got his reward.

"We are going to need that spirit and commitment from everyone.''

* Pool's reserves go to Lincoln tonight in their penultimate game.

* PFA chief executive Gordon Taylor has called for players to "act gracefully in victory" after Lee Trundle and Alan Tate landed themselves in hot water following Swansea's Football League Trophy win.

The Welsh club beat Carlisle 2-1 at the Millennium Stadium but Trundle and Tate are to be interviewed by police this week after they celebrated victory with a flag and a T-shirt bearing obscene insults towards Cardiff.

Clearly concerned about the example being set by players in their celebrations, Taylor said: "By all means celebrate victory but act gracefully in victory and considerately in defeat."

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