We believe we're staying up, says Blackpool boss

The Seasiders travel to Oldham tonight on what could be a huge evening in the League One relegation fight.

John Sheridan’s Latics are just a point behind Pool in the bottom four but have two games in hand.

Pool are looking for their first win in eight games but McDonald insists confidence remains high.

The manager said: “It’s a 10-game season for us now. Every game is big and we have to try to get as many points as we can. Are they 10 cup finals? Yes they are.

“We need wins as quickly as possible and hopefully we can start at Oldham. We all believe – everyone believes we can do it.”

Saturday’s 1-0 home defeat by Coventry was Pool’s fourth loss in five but McDonald added: “We never feel sorry for ourselves and we’ll be ready for Oldham.

“There are plenty of points to play for. We have to keep on believing in what we are doing.

“It’s not been falling for us but we have to believe in ourselves and it will change.”

Pool were rocked by injury and illness last weekend but hope to have at least three more players available tonight.

McDonald will check on David Ferguson (knee), while Mark Yeates and John Herron are expected to shake off a sickness bug and be in the travelling squad at least.

McDonald explained: “Yeates and Herron were ill on Saturday. We’ve had the bug in the camp and had people going down, but hopefully we are getting rid of it now.

“Ferguson was injured last week and is touch and go. Clark Robertson’s hamstring is feeling better too.

“We have a decent enough squad to cope, though, and it will give people a chance to play.”

Pool and their supporters travelled to Oldham last month only for the fixture to be rained off just over an hour before kick-off.

And McDonald warned anyone making the journey for tonight’s rearranged match that it may not be pretty.

The Pool boss said: “It’s going to be a case of scrapping as much as we possibly can now.

“The poor start to the season has caught up with us but we can only keep believing.

“A win tonight would be the perfect start.”