Pools need one win after their latest away flop

With two games to go and three points expected to be knocked off Hartlepool United’s League One points tally for the season, one win will clinch safety for another seasons – and that means next weekend’s home game against Exeter is probably the most important game of the season.

Yet another away defeat, this time 3-1 at Walsall, puts extra pressure on the team as the end of the season draws close, but the players have safety within their own gasp without having to rely on other results.
Assuming that they will be docked three points for playing Gary Liddle against Brighton when he should have been suspended, Pools can’t be caught by the already relegated Stockport and Southend, while Wycombe would need to win both their remaining games with Pools losing both theirs, and repair a 13-point gap in their respective goal differences.
So that probably isn’t going to happen.

This means that fourth bottom Tranmere, whose goal difference is even worse than Wycombe’s, need to win both their games and, again, rely on Pools failing to win either of theirs.
Fixtures affecting the clubs in the danger zone are:
May 1

Pools v Exeter
Gillingham v Southampton

May 8
Brentford v Pools
Brighton v Yeovil
Colchester v L Orient
Exeter v Huddersfield
Oldham v Charlton
Stockport v Tranmere

Wycombe v Gillingham

It’s the usual complicated business, with all sorts of permutations of results possible, but the simple fact is that Pools will be safe if they beat Exeter - as long as they are not deducted any more than three points.
At Walsall it was the same old story as Pools were brushed aside, failing to compete in a display which frustrated Chris Turner.

He admitted his team was bullied and lacked the aggression needed to get a result against a team with absolutely nothing to play for.

Walsall took the lead on seven minutes when Sam Collins hammered a clearance against Julian Gray and the ball rebounded into the net – it was a goal that summed up Pools’ afternoon.

Roy O’Donovan’s ninth goal of his loan spell gave Pools hope midway through the first half, racing onto Neil Austin’s long ball to round the keeper and slot in, but Walsall quickly responded and Troy Deeney scored after the Pools defence made a mess of a clearance.

Pools never looked like fighting back again and Walsall made sure on 76 minutes when Richard Taundry took his chance well.

There were chances for Pools, but they looked out of sorts most of the game – the sort of performance that suggested too many of them are looking forward to the end of the season.
They need more than that against Exeter.