SCOTT FLINDERS admits confidence is eroded within the Hartlepool United camp.

Pools slumped to a 3-1 defeat at Colchester on Saturday, their fourth loss of the League One season and they already have a goal difference of minus eight.

Add the Capital One Cup 5-0 thumping at Crewe – who Pools face again at the weekend after meeting Sheffield United at home tomorrow – and it’s been a pretty miserable campaign to date.

“We are only eight games in and you don’t want the gap to start opening up already,”

said Flinders. “There’s four or five Saturday and Tuesday games to come up so we have to start looking at results and a run of them.

“We conceded two quick goals again and I think it’s a confidence thing. Micky Barron brought out the stats with regards to conceding and it’s not good reading.

“It’s down to mistakes, collectively and individually, and we have spoken about it and said it’s got to end, but it’s still not happened.

“Last season we kept a lot of clean sheets, so we can do it and we know each other’s game. It’s frustrating to keep that many clean sheets and we should be in a better position from taking chances and putting them away.

“We are the same settled unit at the back and know each other’s game inside out, it’s a confidence thing.’’ Flinders was Pools’ best performer at the weekend, but was left frustrated by the outcome.

Pools took the lead before conceding two quick-fire goals and Flinders added: “We started well and took the game to them, had a good finish from Craig Lynch and then gave away sloppy goals again.

“We’ve had a good week working hard defensively on the training ground, going into the game full of confidence and then we shot ourselves in the foot before halftime.

“The two goals are the sort that come when you are down at the bottom of the league.

It’s not as if teams cut us open and score good goals, it’s down to us and individual mistakes really and it’s got to stop.

“We started really well and have in other games too. We went ahead and slipped into our bad ways again.”