Pools face season's most important game
CT - needs a win
By Clarence Rode
April 8 2009
If winning at home to Hereford last weekend was vital for Hartlepool, what does that make Easter Saturday’s game at Crewe? In fact, it’s probably the most important game of the season, so far, and anything other than a rare away victory could do serious damage to their hopes of surviving the League One relegation battle.
Anybody who thought beating Hereford put an end to Pools’ worries was clearly wrong – there’s a long way to go yet and all five of their remaining games are important.
But as usual, Easter will be a very important time for Pools and the teams around them.
Some fans are already anticipating a summer clear-out at the Vic, and there’s little doubt that is going to be necessary. But there’s a lot to do before then.
Pools are two points ahead of fifth bottom Crewe and four ahead of fourth bottom Northampton, who have two games in hand. Those two games are at home, but the opponents are Scunthorpe and MK dons – neither of them easy.
Despite winning at Hereford on Tuesday night, Brighton are seven behind, but they also have one game in hand. Bottom two Hereford and Cheltenham are as good as down, so the race is to stay clear of the other two places in the bottom four.
On Friday, Northampton are away to Bristol Rovers , Carlisle at home to Oldham, and Yeovil at home to Millwall.
Saturday’s fixtures see Pools at Crewe, while Brighton are at home to Swindon.
Avoiding defeat at Crewe would not be a bad result, but it wouldn’t be a good one either - winning would provide Chris Turner and his players with a huge boost, but if they defend as badly as they did for an hour of the Hereford game, then any result is not going to be easy.
Easter Monday sees Pools at home to Scunthorpe, which is winnable but won’t be easy against a side with play-off ambitions.
Other games which are sure to have a bearing on things are: Cheltenham v Yeovil, Colchester v Brighton, Huddersfield v Carlisle, Northampton v Southend, Oldham v Crewe, Swindon v Leyton Orient and Tranmere v Hereford.
It's squeeky bum time.