HARTLEPOOL United manager Dave Challinor is not looking for excuses as his team continue to suffer from poor away form in League Two.

Pools were beaten by Stevenage 2-0 yesterday at the Lamex Stadium thanks to goals from Jamie Reid and Elliot List.

While Challinor’s side are unbeaten on home soil with four wins and one draw, their form on the road has seen them pick up just one point all season. The Pools boss says the players need to figure out why results haven’t been going for them away from Victoria Park.  

He told BBC Radio Tees Sport: “Is the consequence when we play at home that we have 5,000 fans at our backs and there is almost a feat factor that if we don’t perform and we don’t win then they give us pelters?

“There’s not that consequence as much away from home so maybe I need to provide a consequence to them.

“If we’re not picking up results and we get them chances and we’re not sticking them away, it’s not ‘unlucky, better look next time sort of thing’ but there’s a consequence to it.

“What the consequence is, I’ve got a few ideas. They (the players) are ultimately going to be the ones that guide that.

“I’d love to be able to sit here and say I’ve got all the answers. You have to look at different things.

“I don’t think you can get too bogged down with it. At some point, we’ll have to.

“It’s easy to look at excuses. Is it preparation? Is it food? Is it travel?

“We travelled down the day before, we had a light week in training in terms of where we are at and trained really well. We’ve done things that we thought could get us some joy here in terms of some set pieces and different things.

“Everything’s done right for the players to go out there and perform.

“If we score the first goal, I think we’ve not lost in thirty games. If we concede the first goal, I can only remember Yeovil that we’ve won. That tells me it’s not about tactics. It’s about character.”

Pools return to action on Tuesday evening where they host League One Morecambe in the Papa Johns trophy.