PAUL Stephenson is expecting a positive response from his Hartlepool United players today.

After the traumas of losing to relegation rivals Milton Keynes Dons on Easter Monday, when a last-minute goal put Pool four points from safety with nine to play for, the players are back in training this morning.

Saturday's home game with in-form Nottingham Forest is a must-win affair and Stephenson is expecting a chirpy bunch of players reporting to their Durham training ground today.

Despite their precarious position, Stephenson admitted: "It was a quiet bus on the way home on Monday but by the end of it I had been up and down to speak to people a few times.

"I told them all we have to get our pick axes out and start climbing. This is a must-win game and the pressure is on Nottingham Forest as they are in the play-offs and expected to do it.

"On Thursday at training we are going to have the attitude that we have to go for it and not sit back or be down about our situation.

"We've got to go munching into tackles and get the crowd behind us - we have not given up.

"I will be buzzing on Thursday morning and I expect the players to be the same. I would be very disappointed if they aren't.

"It's not over yet. Looking at the fixtures and regardless of what others do, we've got two home games to come and we go to a Brentford side who are having a bit of a wobble.''

Gavin Strachan played 75 minutes of yesterday's reserve game with Grimsby but won't be considered for the weekend.

"It's nice for him to be back and he came through the game OK but he hasn't played enough football to be in the frame for the first-team yet, we have too much at stake,'' said Stephenson.

The teams drew 3-3 yesterday, with Pool 3-1 down and up against ten men after 15 minutes. Strachan netted a penalty, John Brackstone also got one from the spot to level the scores in the closing minutes. Trialist Marc Walton, a striker who has been released by Newcastle United, scored the other..

* The trip to Brentford a week on Saturday is all-ticket and they are on sale to season ticket holders until 5.15 on Saturday and go on general sale from Monday to noon a week tomorrow.

Read more about Hartlepool here.