MATTHEW BATES admitted after Sunday’s defeat to Barnet that confidence was a short commodity at Hartlepool United.

Four National League defeats in a row have been punctuated by an FA Cup draw at Gillingham and this evening Pools have a chance to put the weekend loss to one side.

Pools take on the Gills in the FA Cup replay. The visitors will travel to the North-East today for the game.

Bates will this evening have his two experienced centre-halves Andrew Davies and Carl Magnay back from suspension and they will likely replace Peter Kioso and Myles Anderson, who both made mistakes which led to Barnet goals on Sunday.

“It was concerning how the first goal we conceded affected us on Sunday, we went into the game on the back of three defeats,’’ admitted Bates. “We all want to go on and win it, but individual errors cost us. It’s down to a mistake, we all make them as players, but it goes around the rest of the players on the pitch and we didn’t’ recover from it.

“I said after the game that we can’t go anything as coaches with individual mistakes.

“We are going though a bad spell which we hoped would end on Sunday. It’s only the players who can eradicate those mistakes.’’

Pools led 1-0, but shipped two goals in a minute and they never recovered from the double blow.

The manager, without Michael Woods after the midfielder signed for Harrogate on Monday, added: “As a defender you have to stick to principles, it’s down to them to make the right divisions on the ball. It’s a team game, we stick together and be honest there.

“It’s down to everyone to keep going and when they scored the second we allowed it to affect us too much.’’

Of tonight’s visitors, after the teams drew 0-0 in Kent ten days ago, he said: “They are tough opposition and won’t be the same sort of side and performance they gave there – I’m sure of that.

“Did they under-estimate us? Maybe so, but I’m sure they won’t do the same again.’’

Gills boss Steve Lovell said: “We have to put in a performance and win the game, then worry about the next one. They will be in the same mental state as us, wanting to win the game and get into the next round.

“It will be a tough game. It will be a cold night up at Hartlepool but we have to be prepared.

“We are going up on Wednesday, it will change it a little bit for us but there are no excuses, it is another game of football. It will change the routine a bit, but so what?

"We are professional footballers and we get on and do it.

“If they play the same way and sit behind the ball, we have plans to remedy that. If they don’t then we play our normal game and we will go and attack, try and put them under pressure and take the chances when they come along.”