ABDOULAYE Faye is confident Hull City have the mental strength to realign their Championship promotion bid with victory over Middlesbrough on Saturday.
City's attempts to take a giant leap towards the Premier League brought a stumble on Tuesday when third-placed Watford inflicted a deflating defeat at the KC Stadium.
A gap that could have been stretched to seven points has now been reduced to just one, leaving the Tigers peering anxiously over their shoulders from second with six games to play.
Steve Bruce's men face a test of character against Middlesbrough at the KC on Saturday but know a win can re-establish a four-point cushion before Watford host league leaders Cardiff that evening.
Faye, who won promotion with West Ham last season, has every faith in his team-mates responding and said: "You have to be strong mentally.
"That is what the successful teams do. A team cannot allow a defeat to upset them.
"If we win on Saturday then the Watford game will be forgotten. That is how football is. And if we can win, then Watford will know that before they play Cardiff.
"They are the leaders and will not make it easy for Watford. It will be tough.
"We believe in ourselves. I have confidence we will still win promotion.
"We have a good team and good players. We need to keep our heads up."
Although confidence will have been dented by defeat to their nearest challengers for second spot, City can take heart from their ability to react well throughout Bruce's reign.
Not since the start of October have the Tigers lost back-to-back fixtures and each of their last six defeats has been followed immediately by a win.
Middlesbrough are an opponent desperately out-of-sorts. Just two wins have come from 15 league games in 2013 to bring a fall from third to ninth for Tony Mowbray's men.
"We are in a fantastic position," said Faye. "If you had said to me when I signed for Hull that we would be second with six games to go, I would have said I hope so.
"This is the Championship and you never know how things will go so we have to be pleased with the season.
"Cardiff lost against Peterborough. Results like that happen but what matters is that they won their next game. We have done that after setbacks lately and need to do it against Middlesbrough."
The fading form of Crystal Palace, six points in arrears in fourth, and the buffer held by Cardiff, seven points clear at the summit, points towards a straight fight between City and Watford for the second automatic promotion place.
The Hornets' 1-0 win, courtesy of Troy Deeney's wonder goal, inflicted a body blow on the Tigers' hopes but Faye said: "Everyone was very disappointed because we knew this was a big opportunity for us. But we also knew Tuesday would be very hard because Watford are a very good team.
"This is the Championship. A team can have a defeat and be disappointed but things change round very quickly."
