SEVEN games in and Matthew Bates has led Hartlepool United to their best start to a season since 2011.

Mick Wadsworth’s side sat third in League One after a 2-1 win at Bournemouth – their ninth outing. They ended up in mid-table that season.

This time around and expectations are rising. Pools are at Havant and Waterlooville today on the back of three successive wins and only one defeat in seven.

Monday’s win over Chesterfield was full of honesty and commitment – traits which Pools will have to keep over the coming weeks and months in the National League.

Bates insisted at the start of the season that he will see after ten games where his side are.

And he said: “We now look forward to the next game, it’s only early days. We are three points off the top and five or six off the bottom – it’s tight and it will be for a while and we need to sustain our performances and keep winning games.

“We keep going and look at it later in December / January time and hopefully we are still there. No-one is getting carried away, we just keep going. We’ve won three on a belt, let’s make it four, let’s make it five.

“The division is tight, no-one runs away with this division. Every team can beat everyone and I’ve said it many times that this league is on it’s own in that everyone is beatable on their day. In the Premier League you sort of know who will beat who and teams go and shut up shop to avoid defeats.

“Not in this league, it’s wide open. Much of a muchness and players are at this level because of consistency. It’s about putting together performances week after week.’’

Since changing from a 3-4-3 set-up to a more compact 3-5-2, Pools have improved on their opening displays.

Today’s opponents will set up the same.

“Monday was good, it’s three wins in a row and a good start, but we don’t win anything in August,’’ insisted Bates. “We deserved to have more points on the board, but overall we are pleased. The lads who played the first four games and we didn’t get the results we deserved, but they stuck at it.

“It’s nice to be able to pick the same team – I wondered about changing on Monday on the back of Saturday, but I felt the lads who have the shirts deserved to keep them. They may not have been as fresh as the lads out of the team, but if you are doing well then you keep the shirt.’’

Bates was more than satisfied with his team’s resolve on Monday, keeping a first clean sheet of the season as they came under pressure from Chesterfield’s direct approach.

Myles Anderson, Carl Magnay and Peter Kioso were solid against Martin Allen’s side and the nature of this division means defending stoutly will be a regular occurrence.

“We kept a clean sheet on Monday and I was sick of saying to them before the game. The defenders, in the absence of Andrew Davies, have all stepped up,’’ added Bates.

“I want an attacking side, I want to get at teams and maybe it leaves us a bit open, but the defenders have stuck at it.

“They have done well to keep clean sheets and they deserved it on Monday. I’m sure we will get our share of them and the defenders give the attacking players the licence to go and win the game.

“I’ve watched Havant and Waterlooville, they have been a bit hit and miss at the moment and play a similar shape to us. We will concentrate on what we do and they are a team just promoted and be desperate for a win. All games are tough in this league and you have to apply yourself and take the same attitude and application into this game like we have the others this season.’’