Joel - needs goals

By Clarence Rode
March 18 2009

With mixed results around them, Hartlepool United clearly can't afford to rely on other teams doing them a favour as they stage a late-season battle to avoid relegation. With eight games left, their fate is in their hands - the trouble is, on current form they are one of the weakest teams in League One. It's going to be a nervy time between now and the start of May.

And it all kicks off on Saturday, when in-form Millwall visit the Vic fresh from their impressive midweek win at MK Dons.
Other results on the same night saw Cheltenham win again, this time against Tranmere, but Crewe only managed a home draw against bristol Rovers, Hereford were well beaten at Scunny and Brighton were hammered at walsall.
But Danny Wilson's Swindon chalked up a useful 3-0 home win over Southend that took them out of the bottom four.
The danger zone now reads (played-points):

HUFC          38-43
Carlisle       37-42
L Orient      37-42
Crewe         37-42
North'n       35-38
Swindon     37-38
Yeovil         36-38
Brighton    36-35
Hereford   35-30
Chelt          36-28

After Millwall, Pools play: Southend (a), Hereford (h), Crewe (a), Scunthope (h), Yeovil (a), Leeds (h) and Bristol Rovers (a). They probably need at least nine points, so beating Hereford, Yeovil and Crewe is vital, and if ever there was a time for Joel Porter to get back on the goals trail, this is it.
Our guess is that despite recent results, Cheltenham are as good as down, and so are Hereford, despite their games in hand.
So that leaves two relegation places to fill ... Pools were rubbish at Cheltenham last weekend and if they are as bad in the remaining eight games, they will be one of them.
Over to you Pools.