Pools’ trip to the Orient is one they cannot lose
JONES’ MEN LOOKING TO KEEP OUT OF THE DROP ZONE
LEYTON ORIENT may be a club in crisis - but a failure to beat them tomorrow and Pools could also be plunged into strife.
Good Friday’s 1-1 draw with Carlisle United kept Pools’ heads above relegation waters.
Newport won again, beating Yeovil at Rodney Parade, to move within a point of Dave Jones’ side.
Tomorrow Pools are at the Football League’s worst team.
Worst by some distance too, ripped apart by off-field troubles and an absent Italian owner.
Yet they did draw 2-2 at Luton on Friday.
Pools have to win, they have a home game with Barnet to follow on Saturday and six points from six would go a long way to safety.
Jones, a vastly-experienced boss, said: “Monday will be a tough one.
“Once they cross the white line it all comes into practice what we have been doing.
“Put aside what else is going on. That is what we will be telling them and we will be up for the game properly.
“Recover well from the Carlisle game, listen to us. It will be tough, Leyton Orient play decent football.’’
Pools have drawn successive games 1-1 after taking a point from Morecambe the previous week.
Jones added: “I felt we showed a lot of character in coming from behind against Carlisle despite a good start.
“We were too eager to win the ball, Scotty Harrison is turned for the goal and it is naivety on his behalf.
“In the rest of the game I cannot fault them.
“The game could have gone either way. We gave set-pieces away needlessly and it is nerves, but we settled, kept going and pushed and with a bit of luck could have taken all three points.
“We defended well at times, throwing bodies in front of the ball. It shows we care.
“Some people think the players don’t care but we all do.
“It is nothing new, it is a situation players here have been in before and we hope the players who have done it before can help those who have not.
“It looks like it can go to the wire but you never know. We win a game, someone draws, we move up two places.
“As long as it is in our hands we will take it.’’
Pools’ penultimate game is at Cheltenham, the team directly above them in the table. It already looks like being decisive.
Carlisle took the lead at Pools through Jabo Ibehre as he turned Harrison and finished well.
The first half was woeful for Pools as they never got going and looked a beat- en side. Yet they levelled through Rhys Oates, who blocked a Danny Grainger clearance, picked up the loose ball and curled his shot around the goalkeeper.
A rising drive from Nathan Thomas almost won it for Pools, who then needed frantic defending to see them through to the end unscathed.
Liam Donnelly somehow managed
Rhys Oates of Hartlepool (above left) was celebrating again after scoring a vital equaliser against Carlisle United. Right, Pools’ manager Dave Jones to block a goalbound effort from Michael Rayes while impressive goalkeeper Joe Fryer saved well from the defender.