"We can still finish in the play-offs," says Town boss Lakeland

Halifax have ten games to go in the campaign, and visit Hartlepool United on Saturday.

Town have won just once in their last seven league games, but Lakeland still believes they secure a top-seven finish.

"Of course we can still finish in the play-offs, there's 30 points still to play for," he said.

"What we have now is we've got ten really big games, not just because of the position we're still in, but because of the teams we're going to be playing against.

"We've got the likes of Carlisle to come here, we've got the likes of Scunthorpe to come here, we've got the likes of Southend to come here.

"We've still got Hartlepool away, another big game, we've got some really big games to look forward to and we've just got to try and perform the best we can in each and every one of those games when they come around, and try and win them.

"It's as simple as that, and if we can win plenty of games, let's just see where it takes us.

"I go back to the summer when a lot of these lads weren't good enough because they'd stepped up from the National League North, or we were signing kids out of under 21s, or the manager's never managed in the National League and he doesn't know what he's doing.

"I remember all these comments, as do the players, and the fact that with ten games to go we're right in there with the likes of Southend, Hartlepool, Forest Green, Carlisle - I think the players deserve tremendous credit and it's important that, despite our recent dip in form and recent frustrations, we don't forget what a positive season it has been for us so far."

Lakeland admits his side's dip in form has been frustrating, something which they;ll hope to end at Hartlepool on Saturday.

"I think we're in a period of learning, where we're learning some very harsh lessons for poor decision-making, lapses in concentration and probably not being at it for 90-plus minutes in games," he said.

"We've been punished really heavily in recent weeks for errors we're making or just not being at it, individually or collectively, for little spells in games.

"And it's probably cost us eight to 12 points, so you think where we could and should be, but we're not and there's only really myself and the players to blame for that.

"But we're a young team, we're learning all the time and at the minute, we're learning some real harsh lessons, which are only going to make us better going forward.

"But in the short-term, it's been an incredibly frustrating time for us."

Lakeland says Will Smith, Angelo Cappello and Flo Hoti are all nearing a return from injury.

"We're hoping we might have one or two back but we're just going to have to see," he said.

"With us only having one-game weeks now for the next three weeks, we're going to have to see where people are at, see how they react to being back in full training and if we feel like they're ready, that's only going to help us having the likes of Will, Angelo and Flo back in contention."

But defender Thierry Latty-Fairweather is set to miss Saturday's game with a knee injury.

"He'll be a bit longer, maybe Boreham Wood or Solihull," Lakeland said.