Pools inch towards Playoffs - without even playing

By Albatross
April 21 2004

Hartlepool United didn't even have to play last night to move closer to securing a playoff berth in Division 2. Luton Town and Bournemouth drew 1-1, and that means a win for Pools on Saturday would effectively knock both of them out of the running.

The draw wasn't what either team needed - and means that with all teams having played the same number of games, Port Vale remain our closest challengers five points behind. Luton are six behind, Bournemouth a further point back and Tranmere a total of eight points behind. No-one else can now catch up with us.

With three games to go Pools are therefore in a very strong position. Not only do we have a healthy points lead, we are also doing well on the goal difference front - +15, while none of our fellow contenders are better than +6. Beat Rushden on Saturday, and only Port Vale and Luton would have any chance of catching us - providing they both win. Even then, Luton would only be able to match our points total if they won all their games and we lost to Swindon and Plymouth, meaning they would need to go on a real scoring spree to get ahead of us.

It could be all over as far as securing a place as early as Saturday then - although I think it may take a little longer. Luton and Port Vale both have away games; however, while Wrexham may prove to be tough opponents for the Hatters, Vale travel to Notts County. Given the Magpies performance against us it's hard to imagine anything other than a win for the team from the Potteries. You never know though - and Pools fans will be eager to hear about goings on at Meadow Lane and the Racecourse Ground on Saturday.

Plenty of other issues can be settled on Saturday, and in at least one case it will be to Pools advantage if they are. Plymouth Argyle have confirmed the appointment of Bobby Williamson as Manager - and his first game in charge is a crunch game at home to QPR that could almost be billed as a title decider. A win for Argyle would finally secure promotion after their recent stutters - and should Bristol City fail to claim all three points against Brighton the Championship will go their way too. With a huge advantage in goal difference, they would effectively win the title anyway with a win. Lose, and City win as well, and they would travel up to Pools still battling for an automatic promotion spot - never mind the title.

With at least one of the sides currently in a playoff spot certain to drop points on Saturday, a win for Pools would also give us the opportunity to close the gaps to the teams above us and maybe move up a place to boot. Brighton are a point ahead of us, and Bristol City five; a good win for us, defeat for Swindon, and Bristol and Brighton drawing could even see us reach the giddy heights of 4th place, just three behind the team from Ashton Gate!

Meanwhile, at the bottom of the table Notts County look set to join Wycombe this weekend. Even a win may not be enough to keep their hopes of survival alive. Defeat for Chesterfield wouldn't necessarily relegate them, but would severely dent their chances, while there's a scrum of teams fighting to stay out of the basement with Grimsby on 47 knowing that a win over Stockport would not only take them out of the relegation spots, but could even lift them up as many as four places. A 1-0 win for the Mariners and a two or more goal win for Pools could even put Rushden in the drop zone....

The thing to be careful of though is building castles in the air. With their Division 2 status under real threat, Rushden have ample reason to go all out for the victory against Pools, and they do still have some players capable of turning a game. A defeat would be far from fatal to our hopes - although it would mean that realistically we'd have to take something out of both of our last two games. There will be a full preview of the match later in the week.

For the moment though it remains a case of "everything in the garden is rosy" - and with the reserves having clicnched their divisional title, we've been successful at every level this season. A playoff place finish would, to use the immortal quote from Ted Leadbitter when we were promoted in 1991, be "the ice on the caking."